‘They tried but no lie stands’: Garcia claims vindication in PED scandal

The biggest win of Ryan Garcia’s career has been clouded by reports of a positive drug test.

Ryan Garcia and his lawyer Darin Chavez seek to have a B-sample of the fighter’s blood tested, which will take place on May 22, following reports that he tested positive for a banned substances following his win over Devin Haney.

In a letter that ESPN obtained from Garcia’s lawyer, Chavez states that while Garcia’s A-sample supposedly screened positive for Ostarine and 19-Norandrosterone, a report received on Tuesday revealed no 19-Norandrosterone in Garcia’s system. That, according to Garcia’s team, is a positive indicator that Garcia did not in fact take PEDs.

“We are dealing only with a known supplement contaminant in the billionth of a gram range that provided Ryan Garcia with no performance-enhancing benefit whatsoever on fight night. We now wait for B-sample testing on the presence of low-level Ostarine only on May 22.”

“He was negative 17 days before,” Chavez added.

Garcia himself would announce his vindication on social media last night.

“So ya’ll realize I didn’t fail the tests now,” Garcia posted on X. “No substance other th[an] this imaginary ostrich substance. Level so low wouldn’t have any effect. They tried but no lie stands.”

For now we likely won’t have any clear indication on where this goes until the B-sample is tested and Garcia undergoes a hearing with the New York State Athletic Commission, as there is at least a real possibility that his win over Haney is overturned to a no contest.