“Something could enter the body with food”

Russian boxer, WBA world welterweight champion Alexander Besputin did not pass the doping test. The athlete’s team reported that the prohibited drug could enter the athlete’s body with food, and was urged not to make hasty conclusions. Moreover, the last rival of Besputin Rajab Butaev said that he was not surprised by this news. And in the Russian Boxing Federation, in turn, they are going to conduct their own investigation.

The boxer passed a positive doping test after a title fight with another Russian, Rajab Butaev, in which he won by unanimous decision. In the athlete’s body, ligandrol was found - a drug that helps to increase muscle mass and is similar in effect to anabolic steroids. The team of Besputin suggested that he could be in the boxer's body by accident.

“Something could get in with the food. Now we have requested all the documents for the samples, we will sort it out, ”quotes one of the members of the Besputin TASS team.

The athlete himself also rejected all the charges. According to him, specialists from the laboratory are not immune from mistakes.

“We consulted and found out that this drug can enter the body through food or supplements. There are also errors in the results of the autopsy of the doping tests, and I am waiting for the verification of sample B in a competent laboratory. For example, in the USA, ”R-Sport quotes Besputin.

According to the athlete, he was very upset by the unproven accusations that he read in the press.

“Until the investigation was completed, they didn’t figure it out to the end, and the media already gives information that I failed the doping test. It is very unpleasant to read like that. I want to say that we did not use anything, I am clean! I’m sure of myself in this regard, ”he said.

Earlier, the boxer received a notification from the laboratory about the positive result of the doping test. However, in his opinion, it is too early to say that it is a violation of the rules.

“There wasn’t written" failure. " Now my representatives, in particular the lawyer, are dealing with this whole situation. I took the same test during training in the USA a month before the fight, and everything was in order there, ”Besputin emphasized.

The athlete added that after the completion of the investigation, he expects an apology from all who condemned him.

“I would like that after the checks and all the trials, when, I hope, everything will fall into place, the people who organize public attacks on me also apologize publicly to me! Peace for everyone! Be kind! ”- concluded the boxer.

“You need to find out what really happened”

At the same time, the Russian Boxing Federation has already announced that they will organize their own investigation of what happened. This was told by the Secretary General of the organization Umar Kremlev.

“We have already begun the trial, we will watch. They requested documents to find out what he used. We will support Besputin, but we need to figure it out, we are for pure sport, we need to achieve justice and find out what really happened there, ”Kremlev noted.

According to him, during the investigation, most likely, you will have to open a sample of B. However, a final decision will be made when the Federation receives all the necessary documents.

“We need to see if we get all the papers, after which it becomes clear whether we will open sample B or not. What is there, in what doses and everything else, ”added the functionary.

In turn, Besputin's rival Rajab Butaev said that he was not surprised by information about the positive result of the boxer's doping test. He emphasized that he never respected his opponent as an athlete and a person. According to him, before the fight, Butaev’s team insisted on testing the VADA (Voluntary Doping Testing Association).

“Besputin and his team have long refused. And only when I offered to pay the costs of both parties for the procedure, they reluctantly agreed. Then he tried to ignore VADA's requests for his whereabouts for two weeks. This is a shameful act and disrespect for boxing. After the fight, I wanted only one thing - revenge. Now, on an equal footing, I’m even more confident in victory, ”Butaev told ESPN.

“If everything is confirmed, then Alexander will be stripped of the title”

But the famous Russian ex-boxer Denis Lebedev, on the contrary, doubted that Besputin used doping. According to the former world champion, Alexander simply does not need this.

“Besputin has never been seen in doping fraud. As I understand it, the drug that he found was used in weight gain. But why should Besputin gain mass? He’s all right with her. As far as I know, he even, on the contrary, drove weight. However, if this drug is designed to increase endurance, which is sometimes not enough for boxers, then another question. One way or another, we must wait for the commission’s decision, ”Lebedev said in an interview with RT.

The boxer who recently completed his career added that even if a positive result of a doping test is confirmed and Besputin is stripped of his title, his attitude towards him will not change.

“If everything is confirmed, then Alexander will be deprived of a belt. Be sure to be deprived - these are the rules. If I recall my fight with Guillermo Jones, then due to the use of doping by the opponent, the fight was declared invalid - this option is also possible here. I don’t know how all this will affect the image of Besputin, but for me personally he will not suffer. As I respected and loved him as an athlete, I will respect and love him, ”said the former world champion.

Lebedev also stressed that in this situation, much will depend on the work of the Besputin team.

“I am very, very sorry for this boxer, but now everything will depend on his team, on their ability to negotiate. A similar thing happened with other Russians, and if, for example, we recall the case of Alexander Povetkin, then only the great resources of Andrei Ryabinsky allowed the athlete to stand up. But does the Besputin team have such resources? ”The boxer added.

At the same time, Lebedev does not believe that Besputin’s problems will hit the country's image.

“I don’t think this case will hit the image of Russia - it’s about professional boxing, but that’s completely different. But, talking about the problem as a whole, you can remember a lot of things. If you delve into the dirty laundry of every country, then there are so many things. And asthmatics who are allowed to use different drugs, and gymnast Simone Biles, who can do anything at all. It comes to the point of absurdity, and it's just ridiculous. Speaking about Russia, in my opinion, our sports officials are also to blame for the doping problem. And they only keep silent in response, ”concluded Lebedev.