Former super-middleweight world champion Carl Froch has called for heavyweight Dillian Whyte to be banned from the sport for life if he is found guilty of failing an anti-doping test.
News broke this past weekend on Saturday morning that former world title challenger Whyte had failed a VADA-administered drug test. A statement from Matchroom Boxing confirmed that a test had found adverse analytical findings as part of a random anti-doping protocol. The discovery and confirmation of Whyte’s testing issues have since led to Whyte being removed as the opponent for Anthony Joshua this upcoming weekend on August 12th.
Matchroom is actively seeking a replacement opponent to step in and face Joshua and currently not seeking to postpone the event at the time of publication.
Whyte now sees himself under the scrutiny of anti-doping authorities for the third time in a little over ten years. Whyte was subject to a doping ban in 2012 for two years before returning under scrutiny ahead of his encounter in 2019 against Oscar Rivas. Adverse findings were found in a test under the authority of UKAD, meaning the British Boxing Board of Control could rapidly resolve the issue, unlike with VADA-administered testing. The issue mainly boils down to the fact that the BBBofC does not officially acknowledge VADA testing; however, the governing body does adhere to and recognise testing and results conducted by UKAD.
Froch believes that if Whyte has been found guilty of cheating and using banned substances, he must be banned and removed from the sport. However, Froch has also called for patience and due process to be carried out.
“I don’t know what now for Dillian Whyte. We are in a position where he is 35 years old, and he has failed a drug test,” Froch stated on his YouTube channel.
“This is going to look terrible for him, and what does the future hold for him? He needs to clear his name, but that could take six months. Dillian Whyte must be devastated, but if he has been cheating, then I am glad he has been found out, and he should be punished and banned, and this should be the end of his career. But let’s wait; we can’t point the finger; we need to wait and see because of the Conor Benn situation.”
Froch sympathises with fans of sport who are becoming increasingly frustrated with the consistency regarding testing and seemingly lenient consequences for cheating.
“It is not good enough, and I am glad they are getting found out. If they are cheating, they need to be found out; they need to be punished, and they need to get banned. If you get done twice, then it’s a lifetime ban and a massive fine; get out because you are a disgrace to the sport,” Froch said.
