‘I don’t even know where to get steroids,’ Ryan Garcia said, after reports claimed he had tested positive for a banned drug.
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Boxer Ryan Garcia News
Ryan Garcia has denied using performance-enhancing drugs in a video posted on social media after ESPN reported that he had tested positive for a banned substance.
Ryan Garcia defeated Devin Haney, a former amateur rival, by majority decision on April 20 in New York. Garcia knocked Haney down three times and handed the WBC super lightweight champion his first loss but did not win the title because he was over the weight limit.
“Everybody knows that I don’t cheat,” Ryan Garcia said in a video posted on X on Wednesday night.
“Never taken a steroid … I don’t even know where to get steroids. … I barely take supplements. Big lies.”
ESPN reported that the 25-year-old Garcia tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance Ostarine the day before and the day of the fight, citing a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association letter. Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator, and its use can stimulate muscle growth. The drug is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
The samples were taken before the fight, but the results weren’t known until later, ESPN reported.
“We learned about this situation not too long ago and it’s unfortunate Ryan cheated and disrespected both the fans and the sport of boxing by fighting dirty and breaking positive not once, but twice,” Haney said in a statement to ESPN, adding: “This puts the fight in a completely different light.”
Garcia’s victory could be overturned if the positive drug test is confirmed.
What is Ostarine?
According to WebMD, “Ostarine is a type of drug called a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM). It’s not approved by the FDA, but is sometimes found in supplements.”
Ryan Garcia mentioned the supplement Ashwagandha as a potential culprit in the failed drug test. The impact of Ashwagandha on VADA testing is unclear. However, as long-time combat sports journalist Kevin Iole posted on X, the amounts found in Garcia’s system could shed light on whether or not the levels indicate contamination through a supplement.
“Ostarine attaches to proteins in the body known as androgen receptors,” The WebMD overview continues. “When Ostarine binds to these receptors, it tells muscles to grow. People use Ostarine for athletic performance, involuntary weight loss due to illness, breast cancer, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.”
While a closer examination doesn’t confirm Garcia’s intention to cheat, many will read the description of the drug and immediately draw a connection to Garcia’s failed efforts to make the 140-pound limit for the fight with Haney. Garcia missed weight for the fight by more than three pounds over the contracted limit.
Furthermore, WebMD says, “Ostarine is an investigational drug and therefore not approved for any use by the US FDA. Despite this, it is still sometimes found in dietary supplements, particularly those marketed for bodybuilding. Ostarine, along with other SARMS, is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).”
Source : News Agency
