Paris Olympic heavyweight boxing champion Lazizbek Mullojonov has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a prohibited substance, the International Testing Agency said.
The 26-year-old Uzbek tested positive for methasterone, a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid associated with the promotion of rapid muscle growth, increased strength and power, in an out-of-competition doping control collected on June 11.
¡°The athlete has been informed of the case and has the right to request the analysis of the B-sample,¡± the ITA said in a statement on Tuesday.
If the B-sample analysis is requested and confirms the result of the A-sample, the case will be considered as a confirmed anti-doping rule violation, it said.
If the B-sample analysis is not requested, the case will also go ahead as a confirmed anti-doping rule violation, it said. ¡°The athlete will have the opportunity to present his explanations for the result,¡± it said.
The Uzbekistan Boxing Federation has been contacted for comment.
Mullojonov also won bronze in the heavyweight event at the 2023 IBA World Boxing Championships, as well as a gold medal at super heavyweight at the 2022 Asian Amateur Boxing Championships.
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