Amir Khan banned from all sport for two years after testing positive for prohibited substance after Kell Brook defeat

UK Anti-Doping said Bolton’s Khan, 36, returned a positive result for the anabolic agent ostarine following his loss to Kell Brook in Manchester in February 2022.

The former light-welterweight world champion, who announced his retirement in May last year, accepted a violation of anti-doping rules but said he had not intentionally ingested the substance, an argument accepted by an independent panel following a hearing in January.

A UKAD statement said: “Mr Khan’s two-year ban is deemed to have commenced on April 6 2022 (the date his provisional suspension was imposed) and will expire on April 5 2024.”

The ban is a sad final entry to a career which began so brightly, with Olympic silver in Athens aged just 17.

Khan was first notified of his own positive result in April 2022 and given a provisional suspension, with charges following in July after he had announced his retirement. Following the hearing on January 24 this year, the National Anti-Doping Panel issued its ruling on February 21, accepting Khan’s submission he had not taken the substance intentionally but imposing the ban on the basis of strict liability.

Khan is unlikely to fight again but the announcement represents another high-profile drugs controversy to rock the sport.

Conor Benn’s meeting with Chris Eubank Jr scheduled for October last year was cancelled after trace amounts of a fertility drug, clomiphene – which is known to elevate testosterone levels in men – were found in Benn’s urine. The tests were taken by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) during July and September. Subsequently, Benn relinquished his licence with the British Boxing Board of Control.

Benn has since been cleared by the World Boxing Council of an intentional doping offense after the governing body ruled a “highly-elevated consumption of eggs” was considered a “reasonable explanation” for his adverse finding and he could revisit a fight with Eubank this summer. Despite the ruling from the WBC, Benn’s case continues to be investigated by UK Anti-Doping and the British Boxing Board of Control. Until that process is concluded, Benn would not be licensed to box in the UK, but could fight in another country with the Middle East being eyed for the Eubank clash.