Tyson Fury might not lose his heavyweight title despite ‘testing positive for cocaine’

Tyson Fury’s tumultuous time as world heavyweight champion took another dramatic twist today after reports emerged that he had failed a drugs test.

The WBO and WBA belt holder reportedly failed a VADA-conducted test which supposedly found cocaine in a urine sample taken on September 22.

The Voluntary Anti Doping Agency test was reportedly collected just one day before the 6ft 9in boxer pulled out of a his rematch with Wladimir Klitschko, slated for October 29, citing medical reasons.

It has widely been reported that Fury will almost be definitely be stripped of his belts if the positive tests for the Class A drug are confirmed.

But the Guardian has noted that cocaine, while a stimulant on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list, isn’t a substance that brings a ban when used out of competition.

WADA’s recently-amended code means that recreational drugs like cocaine are only banned when detected in competition.

So for Fury ‘in competition’ would mean either on fight night or the day after the bout, meaning in this case he would appear not to be in contravention of anti-doping regulations.

It is reported that benzoylecgonine, a compound found in cocaine, which is was discovered in a random urine sample taken from Fury on September 22

According to ESPN, a letter was sent to Fury, Klitschko, the British Boxing Board of Control and the United States’ Association of Boxing Commissions by VADA president  Dr Margaret Goodman who wrote: ‘This letter is to advise you that the ‘A’ sample urine specimen number 4006253 collected from Tyson Fury on September 22, 2016 in Lancaster, England through his participation in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association program has been analysed for anabolic agents, diuretics, beta-2 agonists, stimulants and drugs of abuse.

‘The results of the analysis are as follows: Adverse. Urine specimen contains benzoylecgonine.’

However, it’s unclear whether the WBO and IBO will move to strip Fury of his belts for dropping out of the Klitschko fight.

The WBO want the Morecambe fighter to produce evidence by Wednesday that he was indeed ‘medically’ unfit to face the Ukrainian and the IBO want a full medical report.

Fury also has a separate doping allegation hanging over him after a different test sample reportedly tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone.

Fury denies any wrongdoing in this case and is contesting the charges.

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