Former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker is facing a potential ban from boxing after testing positive for cocaine ahead of last month’s defeat to Fabio Wardley.
The 33-year-old New Zealander returned an adverse result in a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) test conducted on 25 October, a day before he was beaten by Wardley at the O2 Arena.
Sources confirmed to BBC Sport that the substance detected was recreational cocaine, not a performance-enhancing drug. Parker’s promoter, Queensberry Promotions, acknowledged the adverse finding but declined to comment further while investigations continue.
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Under anti-doping regulations, Parker could face a ban ranging from three months to two years, depending on the circumstances. Any sanction would be issued by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC), though UKAD must first carry out its own inquiry, as it did not administer the original test.
Precedents vary: boxer Liam Cameron received a four-year ban in 2019 for benzoylecgonine (a cocaine metabolite), while rugby league player Adam Rusling was suspended for three months in 2024 after testing positive for cocaine and MDMA under updated rules.
The positive test is a major setback for Parker, who was aiming to position himself for a future shot at undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk. Parker previously held the WBO heavyweight title from 2016 to 2018 before losing it to Anthony Joshua in Cardiff.
