Billy Joe Saunders insists he is ‘clean’ after adverse drugs test and British Boxing Board of Control confirm he has not breached any rules
A voluntary drugs test taken by Saunders showed oxilofrine in his system but that is not against BBBofC or United Kingdom Anti-Doping regulations
Billy Joe Saunders has insisted he is a "clean athlete" following an adverse analytical finding in a voluntary drugs test.
Reports emerged on Thursday night that Britain's WBO world middleweight champion had tested positive for the banned substance oxilofrine, a stimulant, ahead of his fight against Demetrius Andrade next month.
However, his promoter Frank Warren says it was down to a nasal spray product that Saunders had used and that is permitted "out of competition".
And the British Boxing Board of Control have confirmed that the 29-year-old was "not in breach of BBBofC or UKAD anti-doping regulations".
In a statement, Warren said: "Following reports of an adverse analytical finding in a test carried out by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) on WBO world middleweight champion, Billy Joe Saunders, we can confirm
that the product concerned is permitted to be used 'out of competition' by United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) in line with the regulations of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
"For the avoidance of doubt, the product in question was a common decongestant nasal spray.
"The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) under whose jurisdiction Billy Joe Saunders is licensed are affiliated only to UKAD/WADA.
"Today the BBBofC have confirmed that Mr Saunders is not in breach of BBBofC or UKAD anti-doping regulations and is therefore in good standing and is licensed to box and defend his world title on October 20.
"Mr Saunders has been tested a number of times in 2018, all negative, his last out of competition test by UKAD was on 24th September 2018."
Saunders wrote on his official Twitter account on Thursday night: "Thank you to my fans who stick by me I'm a clean athlete and gonna be around a long time thank you all stay blessed."
Saunders is due to defend his WBO world middleweight belt against Andrade in Boston on October 20.
That title defence will be in the hands of the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission, but Warren and Saunders remain confident it will go ahead.
Earlier this week, Saunders was fined £100,000 and given a severe reprimand about his future conduct after video footage emerged of him appearing to offer a woman drugs.
Saunders' actions were filmed from his car and seemingly show him offering £150 worth of drugs to the woman to perform a sex act as well as asking her to punch a passer-by, which she does, before he drives off.
He was hit with a misconduct charge by the BBBofC, which found Saunders guilty of bringing the sport into disrepute at a hearing on Tuesday.