By Jake Donovan

In the wake of the leaked drug test results surrounding his recent World Boxing Association (WBA) title-winning knockout over Ruslan Chagaev, unbeaten heavyweight titlist Lucas Browne and his team maintain innocence through recently released separate statements. 

Browne (24-0, 21KOs) became the first-ever boxer from Australia to win a piece of the heavyweight crown following his aforementioned win over Chagaev on March 5 in Grozny, Russia. However, unnamed sources unlawfully passed along classified documentation from Voluntary Anti-Doping Agence (VADA) informing all parties involved that Browne's "A" sample tested positive for Clenbuterol.

The drug - which is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - in its intended form is used as a decongestant to make for easier breathing for those who suffer from asthma or bronchitis. It has also been used illegally as a diet supplement by celebrities and by bodybuilders during weight-cutting cycles.

Boxers have tested positive for the drug in latter form, though some - most famously, former four-division champ Erik Morales - have claimed to unknowingly ingest through contaminated meat. 

Browne - professing his innocence - claims no excuse for the drug being found in his "A" sample; rather his ignorance on the subject altogether. Furthermore, he expresses puzzlement over why any heavyweight would use it given there isn't a need for a cut cycle in an unlimited weight class. 

"Prior to today, I had not heard of the drug [C]lenbuterol and had no idea what it was used for." Browne said in a statement released through the press office of his promoter, Hatton Promotions that made the rounds Tuesday morning. "I am now aware that it is essentially a weight-stripping drug and - as a heavyweight boxer - the idea of me using it is utterly ridiculous.

"I am a staunch long-time opponent of any drug use, performance-enhancing or otherwise." 

As is the case with any preliminary positive drug test result, the offending party has the right to call for his "B" sample to be tested. Browne and his team have yet to make that request with VADA, who - as per company policy - has declined comment on the subject other than to confirm its involvement. 

"I can confirm we tested both Mr. Chagaev and Mr. Browne the week of the fight and post-fight per a request from representatives of the BDB (German Boxing Commission)," Dr. Margaret Goodman, president and board chairperson of VADA informed BoxingScene,com Monday evening. "VADA does not release results to the public, so any information regarding results would have to be obtained form the commission or the athletes or their representatives."

The request for VADA testing came from Browne's team, but officially coming from BDB (Bund Deutscher Berufsboxer, which translates to German Boxing Commission), despite the Russian Boxing Federation presiding over the event and produced fight results to official records keeper Fight Fax, Inc.

Testing would normally be conducted by a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited organization - in this case Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA). However, RADA was suspended internationally last November after being declared "non-compliant with immediate effect" at a WADA meeting in Colorado, a motion that came on the heels of Russia's track & field athletes being banned from international competition. 

With that came the involvement of the BDB and testing conducted by VADA, whose good standing in the boxing industry far exceeds any other drug testing agency. Test results were relayed to the commission, but have since prematurely - and illegally - made its way to the media. 

In order to clear his name, Browne will have to request for the "B" sample to be tested - at the boxer's financial expense - and for it to come back negative, which has been known to happen on select occasion. Should that turn out to be the case, the official ring result will stand and Browne will go on to face mandatory contender Fres Oquendo - who himself was the unwilling victim of a major scandal in his own July '14 fight with Chagaev. 

The American heavyweight contender dropped a 12-round decision to Chagaev in the very same venue, but faced several issues in attempting to secure his promised purse amount for said contest. A press release came out more than four months later claiming RUSADA testing results found that Oquendo tested positive for two separate banned substances. 

The scandal was settled last spring, with Oquendo successfully suing his way to a second mandated title shot. He was guaranteed a shot at the winner of Browne-Chagaev in accordance with a proposed consolidation tournament being conducted by the WBA, who had yet to be notified of such results until reading about it through the media. 

"We are in the process of researching the matter," WBA President Gilberto Jesus Mendoza - still mourning the loss of his late father and former WBA President, Gilberto Mendoza - informed BoxingScene.com. 

Should the "B" sample come back positive - or Browne not at all request that it be tested - the matter will be turned over to the presiding commission, which could result in the title being returned to Chagaev. At that point, Browne would be subject to disciplinary action. 

For now, he and his team are still trying to make sense of what has taken place. 

In a statement, Hatton Promotions declared that it was only "made aware late (Monday) night that Lucas Browne delivered a positive "A" sample drug test following his World [t]itle win over Ruslan Chagaev. We believe strongly that boxing should be free from [PEDs]. 

"However, we believe Lucas Browne to be a clean athlete who arrived in Chechnya a clean athlete. We are therefore conducting our own further investigation and cannot comment further at this time."

It is not uncommon for visiting fighters traveling to and fighting in Russia landing in similar scandals. As much happened to Mariusz Wach and Olanrewaju Durodola in separate bouts on a show last November in Kazan, Russia. Wach lost by 12th round knockout to Alexander Povetkin in the main event, while Durodola scored a 2nd round knockout of Dmitry Kudryashov in a massive upset.

RUSADA alleged that both fighters produced positive post-fight drug test results from their respective "A" samples. with testing conducted on November 5, 2015 - 13 days before the agency received an international suspension, with such test results ultimately being dismissed. 

"My team and I were well aware of the many risks involved in going to a place like Chechnya to fight a reigning champion and believed we had taken sufficient precautions," said Browne. "In addition, it was at our insistence that VADA testing was implemented for the fight.

"I will be in a position to release more details and make further comment in coming days."

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox