Heavyweight Joseph Parker has been cleared to fight, with UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) confirming on Thursday he has served a three-month ban for a positive drugs test.
Parker provided the voluntary anti-doping agency (VADA) with a urine sample in the early hours of Oct. 26 following his fight against Fabio Wardley in London that night.
The test came back positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.
After being informed of his provisional suspension in November, Parker asked UKAD for time to gather evidence that the adverse drugs test was a result of contamination.
UKAD said on Thursday that Parker's nutritionist had stated he was "a regular user of cocaine." Parker and his team have always maintained the positive test result was due to contamination.
"Mr Parker provided UKAD with evidence claiming that the AAF (Adverse Analytical Finding) was the result of his exposure to cocaine used by the nutritionist he had employed in preparation for the bout on 25 October 2025," UKAD said on Thursday.
"The nutritionist stated that he was a regular user of cocaine and had used cocaine daily in the week leading up to the bout."
Parker confirmed he had worked with the nutritionist since 2023 and denied knowingly taking any illegal or banned substances.
After an independent expert determined that Parker's ingestion of cocaine would have taken place "out of competition," UKAD said they were satisfied that it would have been "in a context unrelated to sport performance."
UKAD then lifted Parker's provisional ban and offered a three-month suspension, which they considered to have been served between November 2025 and February 2026, given Parker's time out the ring.
Parker accepted the ban in July.
On Wednesday, Parker confirmed he had been cleared to fight, saying: "I'm pleased to confirm my provisional suspension is lifted and I'll be back in the ring soon.
"I've been advised to say no more for now while details are finalised. Thank you to all my supporters."
