American heavyweight Eric Molina has been handed a two-year suspension by the UK Anti-Doping agency for testing positive for the prohibited substance dexamethasone after his TKO loss to Anthony Joshua in December 2016.
Molina was stopped in the third round by Joshua on December 10 and proceeded to test positive for dexamethasone – a corticosteroid that improves exercise performance by reducing the initial rate of muscle fatigue development during dynamic exercise – the following day on December 11..
Dexamethasone is permitted by the World Anti-Doping Agency during out of competition stages but is on the agency’s prohibited substances during competition.
Molina’s suspension has been backdated to October 28, 2017 and will last up until midnight on 27 October 2019.
A UKAD statement read: “American boxer Eric Molina has been suspended from all sport for a period of two years following an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV).
“Mr Molina tested positive for the presence of the prohibited substance dexamethasone, following an In-Competition test on 11 December 2016, after his fight against Anthony Joshua.
“Mr Molina was charged with an ADRV pursuant to Article 2.1 of the Anti-Doping Rules – “Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in an Athlete’s Sample”.”
UKAD Chief Executive Nicole Sapstead added: “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.”
Molina was set to fight Poland’s Mariusz Wach (33-3, 17 KOs, 1 NC) on Friday night in Warsaw.
