Conor Benn seems to have taken an inconsistent stance on the use of eggs as the cause of his failed drug test, with him now arguing that eggs, or food according to his words, have indeed led to him testing positive for the banned substance ‘clomiphene’.

This is a jarring change of tune, given both Conor Benn and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, have actually complained about the WBC’s explanation of Benn having consumed an inordinate amount of eggs when they cleared him.

In fact, on two separate public occasions, both men argued that eggs were not the cause of the failed drug test. This was highlighted during Conor Benn’s interview with Piers Morgan when he rejected the WBC’s explanation of the clomiphene found in his system having been due to him consuming a large amount of eggs.

“When they [the WBC] said it [the failed drug test] may have been due to a highly-elevated consumption of eggs could have created this positive testing, you [Conor Benn] don’t even accept that?” Piers Morgan had asked Conor Benn on his show Piers Morgan Uncensored.

Confidently, Benn had then denied any such connection.

“I don’t accept that, no,” Benn answered assuredly. “Me and my team were on a Zoom call with the WBC. One of their scientists came out and said there were two cyclists that had tested positive for clomiphene traces, and they can prove this in the embryos and eggs.

“I’m not willing to accept it because the 270-page report that I and my team sent over to them had nothing to do with eggs. It had everything to do with my test testing negative three times, and nine days later it tested positive.“

Benn’s belief that eggs were not the cause for his positive drug test was supplemented by Eddie Hearn stating something similar when he appeared on The DAZN Boxing Show.

“We weren’t over the moon with the (WBC’s) release that came out.” Hearn told the hosts of The Dazn Boxing Show. “There’s a lot in that 270-page document that was ignored.

“We believe that Conor Benn is innocent, but for many of the reasons that had nothing to do with what the WBC actually put out.” Hearn had also clarified.

“Conor Benn’s reasoning for his innocence was not conveyed in the messaging of that report.“

Apparently, Benn now believes that food was the cause of his positive drug test following his latest interview, despite having publicly argued otherwise, as evident from the examples above.

“Look at the WADA website, because before people start saying poultry and eggs… the case study was done,” Benn told BBC Sport.

“If you’re eating a banana and it says it’s a banana and it tastes like a banana… what else? How can that be strict liability?“

According to most anti-doping organizations, the concept of strict liability in the context of anti-doping means that athletes are held responsible for any presence of prohibited substances or their metabolites, and any violation of anti-doping rules, regardless of how the substance entered their system and whether or not they intended to cheat.

In the case of athletes that test positive due to perhaps eating certain types of foods, they would fall under this rule of being “strictly liable” for what they put into their body, thus they are considered just as guilty as if they knowingly consumed a legal substance.

Significantly, the need for Benn to address these points could have been avoided if he genuinely believed that his positive PED test result was not related to his consumption of eggs.

“More and more athletes will test positive for this,” Benn further added.

“There should be more duty of care for athletes this does happen to, or has happened to, because how can everyone have the resources to fight this?

“I hope I change the law on testing for clomifene. I still want to work with UKAD; we’re still going to work with UKAD.“

Though not directly referencing the use of eggs, Benn clearly seems to have changed his opinion on food having not been the cause for his failed drug test.

Benn is currently involved in a case with UKAD, which has appealed the NADP’s decision to clear him of intentional use of illegal substances.

Despite the UKAD still being in this process of appeal, Benn has managed to bypass punishment so far as he is set to fight this Saturday, September 23rd in a non-title welterweight contest on the undercard of the Hitchins-Zepeda boxing event set to take place at the Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida (USA).