(Reuters) – Dillian Whyte, a boxer from Britain, has been given the green light to return to the ring after it was revealed that a contaminated supplement caused a positive drugs test prior to a fight with Anthony Joshua last year, Sky Sports reported on Sunday.
Whyte was left heartbroken when a random drug test by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association revealed an “adverse finding,” leading to the cancellation of his heavyweight bout with former world champion Joshua in August of last year.
An investigation has found that he unknowingly consumed a contaminated nutritional supplement, as reported by Sky Sports.
The broadcaster stated that documentation showed a forensic expert determined that Whyte fell victim to a contaminated supplement that did not list the contaminant in its ingredients.
Reuters was unable to independently confirm the specifics of the investigation.
Whyte, who is 35 years old, trains in the United States and is licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which was not immediately available for comment.
After losing a title challenge to WBC world champion Tyson Fury in April 2022, Whyte expressed his frustration and disappointment, stating that he had spent a considerable amount of time trying to figure out where he went wrong with his diet.
“It’s been really tough, because I knew I was innocent, but then you can’t talk, you can’t say anything,” Whyte told Sky Sports.
“You have to be professional, trust the process, trust the lawyers and trust the people around you. It’s been tough, but tough times make tough men.
“I’m relieved more than anything, but of course I’m angry as well because it’s cost me so much. The most important thing is it cost me the chance to beat AJ (Joshua). Everything else after that is secondary, but you know it’s a mix of emotions.”
Joshua went on to defeat Robert Helenius with a seventh-round knockout as a replacement for Whyte.
Whyte also mentioned that he is pursuing damages from the company that produced the supplement.
“I’ve lost a lot of money and we’re seeking damages for all the money I’ve lost, try to get some sort of redemption for my career,” he said.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
