A similar scenario as last year has occurred as British welterweight/super welterweight talent Conor Benn is cleared once again by the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) after UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) slammed a provisional suspension on him. In essence, this is a rewind of the circumstances of last year where Benn had also been under a provisional suspension by UKAD which was subsequently overturned by the NADP. While Benn is now allowed to fight professionally again, the UKAD’s public statement regarding the NADP’s decision suggests the organization will once again appeal the decision.
According to Conor Benn, the NADP cleared him of any wrongdoing for the second time in a recent hearing that was separate from the meeting that Benn would reportedly conduct with the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) last month:
“I am thankful that after an incredibly challenging 2 years the National Anti-Doping Panel has today cleared me of any wrongdoing.” Conor Benn posted earlier today on Twitter/X.
The entire case stems from doping violations going all the way back to October of 2022 when Clomiphene was detected in Benn’s system.
The NADP, an independent judicial tribunal in the UK tasked with overseeing and arbitrating disputes related to doping violations within sports, cleared Benn of the same drug offenses last year which removed the provisional suspension placed onto him by UKAD.
Notably, the UKAD and BBBofC would both challenge this very decision not long after, culminating in longwinding legal proceedings that eventually culminated in a provisional suspension again being placed on Benn in May of this year.
Furthermore, British sports broadcaster Sky Sports reported a meeting was set between Conor Benn and the BBBofC for October to address his suspension―with the presumption being Benn would either be banned for a number of years or be cleared of his drug violations. No indication of what transpired in this meeting was divulged to the public.
Curiously, no reports had indicated that Conor Benn had met or would be meeting with the NADP. This meeting could have potentially occurred after the private hearing with the BBBofC.
The UKAD has since responded to the news of the [second] clearing of Benn’s provisional suspension, with their statement hinting at the anti-doping organization considering appealing the NADP’s decision once again.
“UKAD notes that professional boxer Mr Conor Benn has made public comments today regarding the outcome of proceedings before the independent National Anti-Doping Panel,” A UKAD spokesperson stated.
“UKAD can confirm that it received the decision of the independent National Anti-Doping Panel this afternoon. The Panel concluded that it was ‘not comfortably satisfied’ that UKAD had proved that Mr Benn had committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation for the Use of clomifene.
“The Provisional Suspension previously in place has been lifted and the charge against him has been consequently dismissed. UKAD will now carefully review the Panel’s decision in accordance with its appeal rights under the UK Anti-Doping Rules.“
UKAD’s statement that it will “carefully review the Panel’s decision in accordance with its appeal rights under the UK Anti-Doping Rules” means that UKAD is considering whether there are grounds to challenge the NADP’s decision to clear Conor Benn, setting up another potential longwinding case that still has not fully absolved Benn.
Despite the UKAD’s possible challenge to the appeal, Benn remains free to fight with an upcoming battle against Chris Eubank Jr. having now become a possibility once more. However, there is no guarantee that there will be no resistance on the part of the BBBofC and UKAD to prevent Benn from fighting in the United Kingdom―as last year had proven when Benn was still disbarred from fighting in the UK despite the NADP’s decision to clear him.
According to the UK Anti-Doping Rules, UKAD has 21 days to combat the decision by the NADP.
