Sheffield boxer fails drugs test after title fight

Sheffield boxer Jez Wilson has been banned from the sport for failing a drugs test after mistakenly taking a banned medicine.
Jez Wilson, of CrosspoolJez Wilson, of Crosspool
Jez Wilson, of Crosspool

Ironically, the middleweight has officially retired from the ring -so the suspension will harm nothing but his reputation. However, it is worth pointing out the drug was not a performance enhancer and the fighter had no idea that it was on any outlawed list.

Wilson (W12 L3 D1) was tested after his November 21 English middleweight title fight with Dronfield’s Lewis Taylor.

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He tested positive for furosemide, a diuretic. which speeds up his body’s ability to remove unneeded water and salt through urine.

“I naively took somebody’s advice - and that was a stupid mistake” Wilson told The Star. “But there was no intention to cheat - anyone who knows me knows what I am all about.

“I trained hard and honestly but one mistake has tarnished my reputation. It is devastating.”

The violation will see Wilson banned for two years although he made it clear after losing to Taylor that he was quitting.

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UK Anti-Doping’s Director of Legal, Graham Arthur said: “Athletes are responsible for any substances found in their system regardless of whether there was an intention to cheat or not. This can be challenging for athletes, but it is crucial to their sporting career and their health, that they carry out proper research into any supplements they use. Failing to do so can have disastrous consequences on their career.”

Wilson, 36, was stopped Taylor inside five rounds.

His trainer Glyn Rhodes said from a Marbella training camp: “Jez had no idea he was taking anything illegal and it certainly wasn’t taken to improve his performance. He isn’t a cheat, just badly informed that the drug was acceptable.”

Rhodes added: “All of this is very unfortunate, but for me his reputation as a great fighter and a fantastic man remains intact.”