Alycia Baumgardner Vows To Prove Innocence After Positive Drug Test
Alycia Baumgardner says she never knowingly took any drug and vows to clear her name.
It was revealed that Baumgardner tested positive for two banned substances in a sample collected July 12, which was three days ahead of her win over Christina Linardatou in her Detroit hometown.
Although the positive test happened before the fight, according to reports, sample was not confirmed as received by the lab until July 21 nor were the results confirmed until August 10. Matchroom boxing also did not know about the positive test until Aug. 12.
With that, on Wednesday, Baumgardner took to social media to release a lengthy statement on the incident and vows to prove her innocence.
“On August 12, 2023, I was informed that an “A” Sample I provided on July 12, 2023 resulted in an “Adverse Analytical Finding” of Mesterolone and methenolone acetate metabolites, two substances I’ve never heard of or used in any way,” Baumgardner said in a public issued statement. “The sample provided immediately after my fight on July 15, 2023 tested clean and negative for all banned substances, as did my sample on June 16, 2023, which makes the July 12th result essentially impossible.
“To be abundantly clear, I know that I never have, never would, and never will take this or any other drug. Not only would doing so be unethical, but it would also be completely contrary to how I’ve trained my entire career.
“As a professional athlete, I and I alone am responsible for what I put in my body, and my body is a temple,” insisted Baumgardner, who has never previously tested positive for any substance. “I am also a proud role model for any young woman or girl who seeks to follow in my footsteps. I take those responsibilities very seriously -which is why I know that I did not and would never put these substances in my body.
“I have a lot more to say about my journey and why the very idea of me taking an illegal, banned, or even dangerous substance would never make sense. So I have no intention of sitting back in silence and letting this “play out.” I plan to keep you all updated every step of the way as I work to ensure my reputation as a clean athlete remains fully intact,” Baumgardner concluded.
Following the news of the positive test, the WBC said in a statement that it launched an investigation into the findings of the test, which was administered by Drug Free Sport.
In her career, Alycia Baumgardner is 15-1 and riding a nine-fight win streak and coming off a decision win over Christina Linardatou.
