Former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker has denied taking any prohibited substance after testing positive for cocaine. The 33-year-old New Zealander was tested by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada) on October 25, just days before he lost to Britain's Fabio Wardley at London's O2 Arena.
Parker took to his Instagram account to address the situation, stating that he had taken a voluntary test before his fight and received an adverse result. He claimed not to have taken any prohibited substance, adding that he does not use performance-enhancing drugs and opposes their use. Parker said he is cooperating fully with the investigation and expects it to clear his name.
The New Zealand boxer, who won the WBO heavyweight title between 2016 and 2018, had hoped to be in position for a fight against undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk before losing to Wardley. He could face a two-year ban or a suspension of as little as three months, depending on the circumstances. The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) and UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) will handle the investigation and potential consequences.
Parker's denial comes after he tested positive for cocaine, which is considered a recreational drug rather than a performance-enhancing substance. However, it remains to be seen how the doping authorities will categorize his case and what penalties he may face if found guilty.
Parker took to his Instagram account to address the situation, stating that he had taken a voluntary test before his fight and received an adverse result. He claimed not to have taken any prohibited substance, adding that he does not use performance-enhancing drugs and opposes their use. Parker said he is cooperating fully with the investigation and expects it to clear his name.
The New Zealand boxer, who won the WBO heavyweight title between 2016 and 2018, had hoped to be in position for a fight against undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk before losing to Wardley. He could face a two-year ban or a suspension of as little as three months, depending on the circumstances. The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) and UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) will handle the investigation and potential consequences.
Parker's denial comes after he tested positive for cocaine, which is considered a recreational drug rather than a performance-enhancing substance. However, it remains to be seen how the doping authorities will categorize his case and what penalties he may face if found guilty.
I mean, he's always been so clean about his lifestyle and stuff... but i guess u never know what goes on behind closed doors, rite? 
anyway, i hope it gets cleared up soon & he doesn't get a suspension lol, he needs that fight with usyk!!! 
The test was voluntary, so how is that gonna clear his name if it shows up as positive? 
. What's really gonna happen here is anyone's guess...
It's not like he's trying to cheat in a lab test or something, it's just a party drug, right? 
The fact that he took a voluntary test and got an adverse result is pretty shady if you ask me. He's saying he didn't take the stuff, but how do we know for sure? 
I don't think this whole thing adds up...
. Two years or three months? That's a harsh punishment if he didn't actually dope 
. Maybe we're overreacting here?
still gonna keep an eye on this tho, wanna see what happens next. I mean, 2 yrs banned or just a slap on the wrist? 
depends how they weigh the 'recreational' part vs the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association rules 
They're on point! And, oh man, I just remembered I need to get a new pair of sneakers because mine are all worn out... anyway, back to this boxing news... 2 years is a pretty harsh ban for someone who's basically said they don't use performance-enhancing drugs... and can we talk about how weird it is that he tested positive for cocaine? Like, isn't that just something you do in your free time now? 
. I mean, Joseph Parker has been open about not using performance-enhancing drugs and still got caught with cocaine, so you can say this is a wake-up call for him! It's up to the authorities now to decide what's best for everyone involved. The question is, will they give him another chance or take away his boxing privileges? 
it's so refreshing to see a boxer be that open and willing to take responsibility for their test results 
I feel like he's being totally unfairly judged because, yeah, cocaine isn't exactly a performance-enhancing substance 
but still, the doping authorities gotta do their job & investigate thoroughly 
. I mean, he's already taken a voluntary test and everything 
... and it's not even like he tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance! 
... anyway, hope Parker gets cleared of this soon 
. he's not just saying that for show either, dude's been vocal about his stance against performance-enhancing drugs for ages 
. of course, we'll have to wait and see how this all plays out, but one thing's for sure: joseph parker is still standing by his values 