American heavyweight Molina hit with two-year drug ban

American heavyweight Eric Molina has been given a two-year ban for failing a drug test after his December 2016 defeat to British boxing star Anthony Joshua, UK Anti-Doping has announced.

The 36-year-old Texan tested positive for dexamethasone, a corticosteroid that is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency for in-competition use, in a routine test after the IBF heavyweight title bout at the Manchester Arena.

Molina, who was stopped by Joshua in the third round of a one-sided fight, did not deny taking the substance or contest the anti-doping rule violation, but he did question the length of the ban.

His argument was that he had not intentionally set out to cheat and the dexamethasone, which is used as an anti-inflammatory, was contained in a vitamin B12 supplement he frequently used called Tribedoce DX.

According to the national anti-doping panel’s written decision, Molina said he had asked his brother to buy more of the supplement whilst he was in Mexico, with the implication being that the ingredients are slightly different to the product sold in the United States.

Molina admitted to being injected with the supplement and acknowledged that he had not checked the ingredients or asked for any expert advice before taking it.

In a statement, UKAD chief executive Nicole Sapstead said: “Every athlete is solely responsible for what is in their system and must adhere to the strict liability principle.

“All athletes at any level should familiarise themselves with the WADA Prohibited List and ensure they do not put themselves in a position where they may breach anti-doping regulations.”

In this particular case, UKAD pointed out to the panel that “dexametasona” is marked among the ingredients on the Mexican product’s label.

Molina, who lost a world title fight to American Deontay Wilder in 2015, has been provisionally suspended since October 28, 2017, so his ban ends at midnight on October 27, 2019.

News of his ban comes during UKAD’s Clean Sport Week and two days before the national anti-doping agency is set to release the results of a national survey on the use of supplements.

The survey is expected to reveal that Molina is not the only athlete, amateur or professional, who does not know what is in the supplements they use.