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UK Anti-Doping confirm former world champ Parker's ban lifted / Photo: © AFP
UK Anti-Doping confirm former world champ Parker's ban lifted
Former world heavyweight boxing champion Joseph Parker has been cleared to return to the ring after serving a three-month drugs ban.
The 34-year-old New Zealand pugilist tested positive for cocaine on the day of his shock loss to Fabio Wardley in London in October.
"New Zealand professional boxer Joseph Parker has served a three-month ban from all World Anti-Doping Code-compliant sport following an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) for the presence of a prohibited substance," a statement from UK Anti-Doping said.
"At the time of this announcement, Mr Parker is free to participate in sport."
UKAD's statement came a day after Parker himself announced his ban had been lifted
"I'm pleased to confirm my provisional suspension is lifted and I'll be back in the ring soon," he said.
Parker suffered an 11th-round stoppage defeat to Britain's Wardley and lost his status as WBO mandatory challenger to then undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Parker, who has denied knowingly taking any banned substance, held the WBO heavyweight title from 2016 to 2018.
N. Nilsson--BTZ
