Haney Seeks Disqualification of Garcia Over Failed Drug Test
Devin Haney’s attorney, Pat English, has requested that the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) disqualify Ryan Garcia following his positive test for a banned performance-enhancing substance.
In an eight-page letter to the NYSAC, English cites precedents for such a ruling and outlines why the request is justified. The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association reported that Garcia tested positive for the banned substance ostarine on both the day before and the day of the bout. This revelation came amidst Garcia’s erratic behavior leading up to the fight, including weighing in more than three pounds over the 140-pound limit.
English argues that Haney should not have been placed in an “unsafe fight” under NYSAC’s jurisdiction, as the bout was “made a mockery” by Garcia’s PED use, prohibited use of IVs, and intentional weight miss, which he admitted was a tactic to gain an unfair advantage. The letter also notes that Garcia publicly claimed to be “high as f***ck” during the bout, further bringing “disrepute on the sport of boxing.”
By pushing for a disqualification rather than a mere no-contest, English hopes to establish Haney as the definitive winner, as the boxer “was placed in an unsafe fight” and “relied on the protections” of the anti-doping measures in the fight contracts. The letter cites instances in Olympic sports and professional boxing where disqualification was the disciplinary outcome for positive PED tests.
The NYSAC has not yet set a date to determine Garcia’s fate, but the commission is also empowered to fine and suspend the boxer. Haney and his team believe the egregious nature of Garcia’s actions warrants the harsher punishment of disqualification, which would erase the blemish on Haney’s record and fully vindicate him as the victor.
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