Olympic champion banned after failing doping test as official statement released
An Olympic boxer who won heavyweight gold at the Olympic Games in Paris last year has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance.
Uzbekistan's Lazizbek Mullojonov was the dominant winner of the gold medal bout at Roland Garros in August 2024, defeating Loren Alfonso of Azerbaijan by unanimous decision.
Mullojonov won two of his four fights by unanimous decision as he powered his way to glory in the 92kg weight class.
The 26-year-old southpaw has also been fighting in the professional ranks since 2021 and won all seven of his bouts to date, six by knockout, but his progress is at risk and his August meeting with Bosnian Ahmed Krnjić in Riyadh in August is on hold as a result of his suspension.
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News of the positive test was announced by the International Testing Agency (ITA).
"The 26-year-old Uzbek tested positive for methasterone, a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid associated with the promotion of rapid muscle growth, increased strength and power, in an out-of-competition doping control collected on June 11," reports Reuters.
The ITA stated that Mullojonov can now request an analysis of a second sample, the B-sample, and a repeat positive result will confirm a methasterone doping violation and the boxer will be asked to make his case.
Declining to request a B-sample analysis will also be treated as a confirmed violation.
Methasterone was briefly sold legally as a bodybuilding steroid before the World Anti-Doping Agency banned its use in 2009.
Several athletes have tested positive for methasterone and subsequently served bans.
They include Israeli softball player Ben Kantor, banned for three years as recently as last month, and third-tier rugby league player Rowland Kaye.
In 2022, Kenyan sprinter Mark Otieno was banned for two years after testing positive before his 100m heat at the Tokyo Olympic Games, while teammate Keneth Kiprop Renju, a long distance runner, was banned for five years.
At the beginning of July 2025 a total of 136 athletes were serving bans for doping offences.
They include five additional athletes from Uzbekistan, including middle-distance runner Javokhirbek Saydakhmedov, who is serving a three-year ban for methasterone and will not be eligible for competition until April 2027.
Chris Nee