According to reports, it has been revealed that Ryan Garcia has tested positive for Ostarine.
As first reported by Dan Rafael, Garcia, who stunned the boxing world with an electric win over Devin Haney just eleven days ago, produced two positive VADA tests for the banned substance, the first of which came on the 19th and the second on the 20th of April.
Ostarine, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), can enhance muscle mass, assist in weight loss, and improve athletic performance. However, it is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) both during and outside of competitions. A notable example of its consequences is Amir Khan from Britain, who received a two-year ban after testing positive for Ostarine in a UKAD test following his defeat to Kell Brook in March 2022.
BREAKING: Per multiple sources with knowledge of the results, Ryan Garcia tested positive for the banned PED Ostarine in a VADA test related to the Haney fight. #boxing
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) May 2, 2024
The 25-year-old receives devastating news, which adds to the already shocking series of strange behaviors leading up to the Haney fight. Despite doubts, he managed to deliver an exceptional display of powerful punches, resulting in his former amateur rival’s first professional loss.
Garcia promptly refuted the allegations on his Twitter account, expressing disbelief and asserting his innocence. He also pointed out the possibility of Ashwagandha Root, a herbal stress-relieving supplement, being a potential factor behind the positive test results.
My bad I shouldn’t have took this pic.twitter.com/WDgWkMMyOr
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) May 2, 2024
Garcia addressed his 938.5k followers on X, stating, “Hello everyone! I wanted to come here and clear the air regarding these baseless cheating allegations.”
It is a well-known fact that I am not a cheater. I find it puzzling why this information was not revealed before the fight if it was indeed discovered earlier. It seems unfair that I was allowed to enter the ring with the label of a cheater, only for them to unveil this after their victory. It appears that these individuals are targeting me without any legitimate reason, but I firmly believe that their efforts to harm me will ultimately be unsuccessful.
“I have never used any steroids, and honestly, I wouldn’t even know where to find them. I rarely take supplements. It’s ridiculous that they’re claiming it’s because of Ashwagandha; it’s all lies, complete fabrications. I completely dominated Haney, so these accusations are baseless and absurd.”
Fake news like if I was Donald trump pic.twitter.com/PVg5EW7yLd
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) May 2, 2024
According to reports, Garcia has tested positive for 19-Norandrosterone, which is a metabolite of the prohibited substance nandrolone. Additional analysis is still pending.
