Joseph Parker: Former heavyweight champion claimed failed drug test was caused by cocaine use of nutritionist ahead of Fabio Wardley fight | Boxing News
Former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker claimed a failed drugs test that resulted in him being suspended from boxing was caused by exposure to cocaine being used by his nutritionist, according to UK Anti-Doping (UKAD).
Parker returned an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, during a routine UKAD test shortly after his surprise defeat to Fabio Wardley in London on October 25 last year.
The New Zealander, who has throughout the saga denied taking any prohibited substance, announced on Wednesday that his suspension, which could have lasted as long as two years, had been lifted and that he would be “back in the ring soon”.
On Thursday, UKAD officially confirmed Parker was free to resume his career as details of the case were shared, which included the 34-year-old’s explanation for the adverse finding.
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Highlights of Joseph Parker’s heavyweight clash with Fabio Wardley at The O2 arena. (Credit: DAZN)
A UKAD statement said: “On 6 March 2026, Mr Parker provided UKAD with evidence claiming that the AAF was the result of his exposure to cocaine used by the nutritionist he had employed in preparation for the bout on 25 October 2025.
“The nutritionist stated that he was a regular user of cocaine and had used cocaine daily in the week leading up to the bout.
“Between 14 April 2026 and 3 June 2026, UKAD requested further information from Mr Parker in relation to his explanation for the AAF. Amongst other matters, Mr Parker stated that he had first worked with the same nutritionist in April 2023.”
UKAD explained that a decision had been made to impose a three-month period of ineligibility, which it already considers served, because an independent scientific expert was satisfied that any ingestion of cocaine had occurred out of competition, and therefore in a context unrelated to sporting performance.
Fabio Wardley forced a finish in the 11th round with Parker.
The statement said: “On 15 June 2026, UKAD received an independent scientific expert opinion from its instructed expert, which concluded that Mr Parker’s ingestion of cocaine most likely took place out of competition (i.e. before 11:59pm on 24 October 2025).
“On 22 June 2026, UKAD confirmed to Mr Parker that in light of the opinion from its expert, it was satisfied that any ingestion of cocaine occurred out of competition and for that reason would have been in a context unrelated to sport performance.
“Consequently, UKAD lifted Mr Parker’s Provisional Suspension on that date (allowing him to resume his participation in sport with immediate effect) and proposed a three-month period of Ineligibility (deemed served) by way of sanction for his Anti-Doping Rule Violation.”
The scientific expert believed it possible that Parker’s administration of cocaine “may have occurred” from contamination, but also said they could not exclude the possibility the finding had arisen “as the tail end of the administration of a larger pharmacologically active dose of cocaine.”
With the UKAD report, the scientific expert said: “It is also my opinion that Mr Parker’s administration of cocaine may have occurred orally from food contaminated with cocaine by his sports nutritionist who has admitted being a user of cocaine giving rise to the finding of benzoylecgonine in Mr Parker’s urine Samples.
“I cannot exclude the possibility that the finding of benzoylecgonine has arisen as the tail end of the administration of a larger pharmacologically active dose of cocaine.”
The result of Parker’s bout against Wardley, which was an 11th-round stoppage victory for the Brit, becomes a defeat by disqualification, rather than knockout.
Parker lost his world title to Anthony Joshua in 2018, but went into his fight against Wardley in arguably the best form of his career.
After a punishing loss to Joe Joyce in 2022, Parker won his next six contests prior, picking up statement wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, as well as winning the WBO Interim strap.
He was due to challenge then-IBF belt-holder Daniel Dubois in February, only for Dubois to fall ill just days before the fight was meant to take place.
Parker put his position as the WBO mandatory challenger to undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk on the line by taking the fight against Wardley, but it was a gamble that backfired.
