ALEXANDER POVETKIN HIT WITH FOUR-YEAR BAN AS 2014 DOPING CASE RESURFACES

Retired heavyweight Alexander Povetkin is currently serving a four-year period of ineligibility after an investigation uncovered the previously unreported presence of the banned substance ostarine in a sample he provided in 2014. The case is part of a broader probe into systematic doping in Russian sports and is being led by the International Testing Agency (ITA) on behalf of the International Boxing Association (IBA). The evidence was retrieved from the Moscow Laboratory by the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Intelligence Investigations Department and Professor Richard McLaren.  

Povetkin, 45, retired in 2021 but had previously served a one-year suspension in 2016 after testing positive for both ostarine and meldonium. Despite this, he returned to the ring and secured high-profile bouts against Anthony Joshua, David Price, Michael Hunter, and Dillian Whyte.  

The ITA confirmed that Povetkin’s latest ban came into effect on October 21, 2024, and will remain in place until October 20, 2028. “After being notified of the case and informed of his procedural rights, the athlete decided not to challenge the anti-doping rule violation,” the ITA stated.  

Additionally, all of Povetkin’s results from October 25, 2014, until the start of his provisional suspension on October 21, 2024, have been disqualified. This includes his knockout victory over Carlos Takam on the night of October 24/25, 2014, in Moscow. Ostarine, the substance detected in his sample, is a selective androgen receptor modulator that is commonly used to enhance performance and muscle growth.  

Since retiring in 2021, Povetkin has transitioned into politics and currently serves as the Deputy Governor of Russia’s Vologda Oblast region. Announcing his retirement, he stated: “The years take their toll… I have all kinds of injuries that still need to be treated. The time has come for me to end my career.”  

His final professional record stands at 36 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw, with 25 victories coming by knockout. However, with this latest doping revelation, his achievements—including an Olympic gold medal in 2004 and a secondary WBA heavyweight title—are now likely to be forever tainted.