Robert Helenius has been handed a two-year doping ban by UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) following a failed drug test after his heavyweight bout against Anthony Joshua in August 2023. The Finnish fighter, aged 40, tested positive for clomifene, a banned substance, in a sample collected the day after his knockout loss to Joshua.
Helenius, known as “The Nordic Nightmare,” disputes the findings, claiming the positive result was due to consuming contaminated egg and chicken products. Despite his defense, Ukad reported that Helenius could not substantiate his claim that the contaminated food came from sources where clomifene was administered.
The suspension, which began on September 18, 2023, has been backdated, making Helenius eligible to return to the ring on September 18, 2025. This suspension follows his knockout defeat in the seventh round against Joshua, who stepped in after the original opponent, Dillian Whyte, was found to have an “adverse analytical finding” in a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada) test.
Helenius also tested positive for clomifene in a Vada test conducted the day before the Joshua fight, although this result was revealed two weeks after the bout. Clomifene, a substance banned both in and out of competition by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), is known for its use in boosting testosterone levels.
This case mirrors a similar situation involving British welterweight Conor Benn, who failed two Vada tests for clomifene prior to his October 2022 fight with Chris Eubank Jr. Benn has also claimed that the drug was ingested through contaminated food, denying intentional use.
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Source: BBC.com
