AMIR KHAN has been BANNED from boxing for two years after testing positive for an illegal substance following his defeat to Kell Brook last year.
The Bolton boxer, 36, retired following the defeat to his Brit rival – for which he pocketed a staggering £5MILLION.
But now it has emerged Khan – Olympic silver medallist in 2004 – tested positive for ostarine in the aftermath of the defeat.
Khan has claimed ingestion of the banned substance was NOT intentional.
Ostarine is a drug designed to have similar effects to testosterone, used by athletes and bodybuilders to boost muscle mass and performance.
However, it has also been used to treat muscle-wasting diseases and osteoporosis.
The result of Khan’s fight against Brook has now been wiped out.
His ban has been backdated to start immediately after the 2022 fight and will run until April 2024.
Khan has now broken his silence, telling Sky Sports: “I’ve never cheated.
“I’m a retired fighter… you can see by my performance. My performance against Kell Brook wasn’t the best.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
“I lost the fight… if I’d gone in and knocked him out if would be different.
“I’ve never cheated in my life… I was the one who wanted testing on the fight.
“The amount that was in my system could have been from shaking hands.”
Khan continued: “I didn’t know what the drug was in my system.
“I’ve never cheated in my life… I’d never cheat.
“Like I said, I am a retired fighter. I’ve got a two-year ban now which is quite strange and funny that they’ve banned me… I’m already retired anyway.”
On a potential return to the ring, Khan added: “[I’ve got] no comeback plans at all.
“But, like I said, I’ve never cheated and never will. That’s just not something I would do.”
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) earlier confirmed the news in a statement.
It read: “Professional boxer and Olympic medallist Amir Khan has been banned from all sport for two years following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the presence and use of a Prohibited Substance.
“On 19 February 2022, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) collected an In-Competition urine Sample from Mr Khan after his fight against Kell Brook at the Manchester Arena.
“Mr Khan’s Sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for ostarine.
“UKAD notified Mr Khan of the AAF on 6 April 2022 and that he may have committed ADRVs under the 2021 UK Anti-Doping Rules (ADR).
“UKAD issued him with a Provisional Suspension from all Code-compliant sport on the same date.
“On 20 July 2022, UKAD charged Mr Khan with the commission of two ADRVs: Presence of a Prohibited Substance and Use of a Prohibited Substance.
“Mr Khan accepted the violations charged but maintained that his ingestion of ostarine was not ‘intentional’.”
UKAD went on to reveal the case was referred to the National Anti-Doping Panel – with the charges upheld.
The statement continued: “As a consequence his case was referred to the National Anti-Doping Panel to be considered by an independent tribunal.
“Mr Khan’s case was heard by the independent tribunal on 24 January 2023 and in its written decision dated 21 February 2023, the panel found both violations proved, concluded that Mr Khan had established that they were not ‘intentional’ within the meaning of ADR Article 10.2.3 and imposed a two-year ban on him.
“The panel also disqualified Mr Khan’s result from the bout against Mr Brook.
“Mr Khan’s two-year ban is deemed to have commenced on 6 April 2022 (the date his Provisional Suspension was imposed) and will expire on 5 April 2024.”
In the weeks leading up to the Brook fight, Khan revealed he was yet to be drug-tested and that he was chasing officials to get it done.
He called the whole experience “a bit strange” as he was desperate for a “fair fight”.
Khan retired in 2022 with a record of 34-6 following defeat to Brook, bringing down the curtain on an illustrious career.
The Bolton star was catapulted into the spotlight after bagging silver at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004.
Khan won his first 18 fights but lost the biggest fights of his career against the likes of Canelo Alvarez, Terence Crawford and Brook.
Arguably his biggest scalps came with wins over Marcos Maidana and Paulie Malignaggi (both 2010).
Khan also beaten Marco Antonio Barrera and Andriy Kotelnik (both 2009) during his glittering career in the ring, as well as Devon Alexander in 2014.
