Avni Yildirim has tested positive for a drug test administered by VADA in September, potentially putting his future world title shot in serious jeopardy.
VADA and the WBC announced that a drug test for super middleweight contender Avni Yildirim showed an adverse analytical finding for the presence of DHCMT/methylclostebol. The drug test took place on September 13 and VADA reported the adverse finding to the WBC on September 26.
Here is the official statement from the WBC:
On September 26, 2019, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (“VADA”) reported to the World Boxing Council (“WBC”) that an “A” sample collected from Avni Yildirim on September 13, 2019 in Big Bear, California in connection with a random collection under the WBC Clean Boxing Program (“WBC CBP”), gave an adverse analytical finding for the presence of DHCMT/ methylclostebol (the “Finding”).
In light of the Finding, and as part of the WBC’s Results Management duties, the WBC has undertaken an investigation of the facts that resulted in the Finding including, but not limited to the: (1) circumstances surrounding the Finding; and (2) history and properties of the substance(s) revealed by the Finding.
In addition, Avni Yildirim and his team voluntarily agreed to hold an immediate evaluation meeting with an expert scientist approved by the WBC to conduct an in-depth analysis of the situation at hand. The WBC considers those steps necessary to achieve a conclusion of the matter consistent with the WBC Rules and Regulations and with the WBC CBP Protocol. The WBC will make an announcement in the near future about the results of its investigation and evaluation, and about the disposition of this matter.
The news comes as the WBC was making plans to potentially order a fight between David Benavidez, the current WBC super middleweight champion, and Yildirim, the mandatory challenger to the title. Yildirim was guaranteed a future shot at the world title due to the nature of his fight against Anthony Dirrell back in February for the then-vacant title, which ended in a technical decision win for Dirrell.
