Heavyweight Robert Helenius banned from boxing

• Robert Helenius was banned for two years over his positive drug test.
• Helenius, who was earlier on suspension, claimed that the clomifene found in his system must have originated from eggs and chicken meat he consumed before the match.

Finnish professional boxer Robert Helenius has been banned from the sport for two years following a positive drug test.

The test was conducted by UK Anti-Doping after Helenius’s fight against Anthony Joshua in August 2023.

Helenius tested positive for clomifene, a substance prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada)

Helenius, who was knocked out by Anthony Joshua in the seventh round at London’s O2 Arena, denied intentionally taking performance-enhancing drugs.

He subsequently claimed innocence and attributed the clomifene to contaminated eggs and chicken meat consumed before the match.

However, the UK Anti-Doping agency found Helenius’s evidence insufficient to prove the source of the clomifene, As a result, he was unable to reduce the two-year suspension period.

the UK Anti-Doping agency, in a statement released on Friday, stated:

“Mr Helenius was unable to provide evidence that eggs and chicken he had consumed in advance of the bout originated from hens that had been administered clomifene”

“He was therefore unable to identify the source of clomifene in his Sample and therefore unable to reduce the applicable period of Ineligibility of two years,” it added.

The ban, effective from September 18, 2023, will last until September 17, 2025. During this time, Helenius will not be eligible to participate in professional boxing events.

In a similar news, Nigerian Actor Jerry Williams was also reportedly suspended from Nollywood over drug abuse.

The National president of AGN Emeka Rollas stated in a press release that the guild has been monitoring Jerry’s alleged involvement in illicit substances since December 2022.

Jerry, according to reports, was bannned from associating with other Actors on set due to concerns about jeopardizing their safety and well-being.