Amir Khan, the former light-welterweight world champion, has been suspended for two years due to the presence of a prohibited substance, ostarine, discovered during an anti-doping test after his match against Kell Brook in February 2022.

Although he admitted to violating anti-doping regulations, he claimed that it was unintentional. An independent tribunal supported his argument and concluded that the 36-year-old did not engage in “deliberate or reckless conduct.”

Khan retired from boxing in May.

“I’ve never cheated,” Khan told Sky Sports News. “But I’ve got a two-year ban now, which is quite strange and funny because I’m already retired anyway.

“There’s no comeback planned at all. But I’ve never cheated and I never will. That’s just not something I would do.”

In October, British sprinter CJ Ujah was banned for 22 months after he tested positive for two banned substances, including ostarine, at the Tokyo Olympics.

“This case serves as a reminder that Ukad will diligently pursue anti-doping rule violations in order to protect clean sport,” Ukad chief executive Jane Rumble said.

“Strict liability means athletes are ultimately responsible for what they ingest and for the presence of any prohibited substances in a sample.”

The ban on participating in any sports began on April 6, 2022, and will end on April 5, 2024. Amir Khan, who won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics at the age of 17, turned professional in 2005, winning the world championship in 2009 and unifying the championship title in 2011 before losing the titles in his next fight to Lamont Peterson.

In his final professional match, he was knocked out in the sixth round by Kell Brook. Khan retired from the sport three months later, ending his career with 34 professional wins and six losses.

He has maintained a high public profile outside of boxing, participating in the Australian reality game show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and his own BBC reality television program, Meet the Khans: Big in Bolton.

He is set to appear on I’m a Celebrity for a second time this month, this time in South Africa. Conor Benn, another British boxer, failed two voluntary drug tests for the female fertility drug clomifene ahead of his match against Chris Eubank Jr in October.

He was reinstated into the World Boxing Council rankings after it was determined that his failed drug test was not intentional and may have been caused by a “highly elevated consumption” of eggs.

However, he is still being investigated by Ukad and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) and is unable to fight in the United Kingdom since he lacks a boxing license.

Amir Khan, considered one of Britain’s greatest boxers, gained fame after winning a silver medal at the Athens Olympics at the age of 17. He went on to become a world champion, fought against some of the best boxers such as Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Terence Crawford, and had a thrilling retirement fight against Kell Brook.

Although Khan’s final fight was well past its prime, it was still a huge event that captured the attention of the sports world. However, Ukad’s recent announcement that Khan tested positive for ostarine on fight night adds a new perspective to his retirement.

While testing positive on fight night is rare, it is one of the few occasions when a prominent boxer is guaranteed to be tested. Although Khan claimed that he did not intentionally consume the prohibited substance, he was given a mandatory two-year ban due to the principle of strict liability. The ban began on April 6, 2022 and will end on April 5, 2024.