Boxer Robert Helenius has been handed a two-year ban by UK Anti-Doping for violating anti-doping rules by using a prohibited substance during his fight against Anthony Joshua in August 2023. The former heavyweight world champion Joshua secured a victory over Helenius with a seventh-round knockout at the London O2 Arena.
Helenius' sample from a voluntary drug test conducted the day before the fight tested positive for clomifene. The Finnish boxer claimed that the substance may have entered his system through the consumption of eggs and chicken. However, he was unable to provide evidence that the eggs and chicken he consumed were free from clomifene.
As a result, UKAD found Helenius in violation of anti-doping regulations and imposed a two-year ban on him. The agency stated that Helenius failed to identify the source of clomifene in his sample, leading to the standard two-year ineligibility period.
Having been provisionally suspended on September 18, Helenius has already served 10 months of his ban. His suspension will conclude on September 17, 2025.
