Amir Khan is forced to deal with the repercussions of a past drug testing result, even in retirement.

The 2004 Olympic Silver medalist and former unified junior welterweight champion was issued a backdated two-year suspension from all sports due to violation of the UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) rules. The ban stemmed from a positive drug test produced by Khan following his knockout defeat to Kell Brook last February 19. Traces of ostarine—an anabolic agent used to assist muscle growth—were discovered in a post-fight testing sample.

UKAD announced that Khan will remain suspended through next April 5, as per a two-year ban dated back to last April when the testing agency informed the boxer of its findings.

“Mr. Khan's two-year ban is deemed to have commenced on April 6, 2022 and will expire on April 5, 2024,” UKAD declared in a statement released Tuesday.

The punishment is half of what is normally issued under its ‘Strict Liability’ laws when an athlete is caught with and unable to successfully justify a banned substance found in their system. UKAD ruled in a detailed report that “the objective scientific evidence rules out any deliberate or reckless conduct by [Khan].

“It is inconceivable that he would have sought to ingest a micro-dose which would have been a fraction, at least 1,000 times less of a dose intended to provide any performance enhancement or any other competitive advantage.”

In its report, UKAD revealed that Khan was issued a provisional suspension from all sport beginning last April 6. Two testing violations were issued in a July 20 ruling: Presence of a Prohibited Substance; and Use of a Prohibited Substance.

It was reported by the agency that Khan “accepted the violations charged but maintained that his ingestion of ostarine was not ‘intentional.’ As a consequence, his case was referred to the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) to be considered by an independent tribunal.”

Bolton’s Khan, now 40, continued to deny any wrongdoing, which is actually in line with UKAD’s finding.

“I have never cheated,” Khan told Sky Sports upon learning of the ruling. "The amount that was in my system could have come from shaking peoples' hands. I don't know what the drug was in my system. I will give my views, but, like I say, I have never cheated in my life. I would never cheat.

“I am a retired fighter. You can see by my performance against Kell Brook [that it] wasn't the best. I lost the fight. If I went in there and knocked Kell Brook out it is different. I have never cheated in my life. I am the one who wanted the testing done.”

The event was presented last February by BOXXER, who was apparently not in the loop during the 13-plus month period from the time of the collected post-fight testing sample through Tuesday’s ruling.

“BOXXER is disappointed to only learn via social media this morning that Amir Khan has been suspended from all sports following UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) rule violations,” the company noted in a press statement. “BOXXER is vehemently against any use of any illegal or performance enhancing substances taken by athletes and condemns such unsporting behaviour. It goes against the very core of our company’s values. 

“We will await further advice from all the relevant authorities.”

Khan (34-6, 21KOs) ended a near three-year ring hiatus to face Sheffield’s Brook in a long-awaited domestic superfight between former champions. The two were previously linked to a targeted fight in 2019, only for Khan to ditch plans in favor of challenging unbeaten three-division and reigning WBO welterweight titlist Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford who won their April 2019 bout via sixth-round stoppage at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The revisited fight with Brook (40-3, 28KOs) saw Khan join forces with Crawford, having trained for the bout under the guidance of Brian ‘Bomac’ McIntyre. Fight night revealed that no trainer in the world could have helped Khan, who was clearly well past his best years as Brook was dominant en route to a sixth-round stoppage.

Both boxers announced their retirement in the weeks that followed. Brook has since teased a comeback, while Khan has shut down any rumor that suggested a ring return, even as his name was attached to a potential fight with former eight-division champ Manny Pacquiao.

He wouldn’t have a choice in the matter even if it were true, though the development only affirms his current standing.

“I am a retired fighter,” Khan reiterated. “I have got this two-year ban now, which is quite strange. I have already retired anyway. No comeback plans at all."

The last win for Khan came in July 2019, when he stopped former featherweight titlist Billy Dib in the fourth round of their welterweight contest in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The defeat to Brook ended a storied career that saw the popular Brit defeat eleven former or current (at the time) major titlists, six of which came in actual title fights.

A sufficient explanation was not provided by neither UKAD or NADP as to why it took more than a year to conclude the investigation.

The released UKAD report revealed that the NADP tribunal held a hearing on January 24, and formally ruled on the matter four weeks later. It was determined in the February 21 ruling that both testing violations were proven but that Khan “had established they were not ‘intentional’ within the meaning if ADR Article 10.2.3” upon ruling that a two-year ban was proper in lieu of the standard four-year ban as per Article 10.2.1 of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code which only applies to offending parties bound by strict liability.

Instead, UKAD felt the year-long investigation was indicative of the thoroughness and attention to detail applied.

“This case serves as a reminder that UKAD will diligently pursue Anti-Doping Rules Violation in order to protect clean sport,” UKAD chief executive Jane Rumble noted in a provided statement. “Strict Liability means Athletes are ultimately responsible for what they ingest for the presence of any Prohibited Substances in a Sample. It is important that all Athletes and their support personnel, whatever level they are competing at, take their anti-doping responsibilities seriously.

Not doing so risks damaging not only an Athlete’s career, but also undermining public confidence in clean sport.”

The amount of attention paid to the suddenly discovered matter comes in the wake of a more serious—and ongoing—drug testing scandal in the UK involving second-generation boxer Conor Benn.

Most seem to agree that Khan deserves better than to be lumped in the same category, or for the matter to cast a cloud over his otherwise storied career.

Khan captured a Silver medal at age 17 and as the lone representative for Great Britain during the 2004 Athens Olympics. His pro debut came nearly a year later in his Bolton hometown, though he hit a bump in the road three years into his career when he suffered a first-round knockout to Briedis Prescott in their September 2008 battle of unbeaten prospects.

Khan rebounded to carve out a widely respectable career. The celebrated Brit became a unified titlist at junior welterweight, with five overall title defenses lodged during a two-plus year title reign. A disputed points loss to Lamont Peterson in December 2011 ended his unified title stay, though he was reinstated as WBA champ after Peterson tested positive for synthetic testosterone ahead of their canceled May 2012 rematch—at which time the D.C. native admitted that the product was implanted prior to their first scheduled fight.

The restored title reign only lasted two more months; Khan suffered a fourth-round knockout loss to unbeaten Danny Garcia in their July 2012 WBA/WBC unification bout. He would suffer defeats in two more title bids—a sixth-round knockout to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in their May 2016 middleweight championship which was fought at a 155-pound catchweight; and the aforementioned stoppage loss to Crawford nearly four years ago.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox