In a significant development for professional boxing, the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) has issued a formal notice stating they will no longer accept medical documentation from Dr. Usman Sajjad, a physician previously associated with several high-profile athletes.
The Board’s general secretary Robert Smith circulated a notice on Thursday, stating: “Please note that Dr Sajjad is not a registered Medical Officer with the British Boxing Board of Control and therefore, no medical documentation will be accepted at the Board’s head office undertaken by Dr Sajjad.”
This decision comes amid renewed scrutiny of Dr. Sajjad’s connections to athletes who have faced testing irregularities. The doctor’s involvement with European super-bantamweight champion Dennis McCann has drawn particular attention following McCann’s suspension on December 16 for a positive test.
Dr. Sajjad had previously worked with WBA Continental welterweight champion Conor Benn, who made headlines when the World Boxing Council (WBC) suggested his positive test may have been connected to consuming up to 34 eggs per week. The WBC stated that “there was no conclusive evidence that Mr Benn engaged in intentional or knowing ingestion of clomiphene.”
Former professional Carl Frampton expressed his skepticism about the situation, stating, “People think youtube boxers are a joke. The WBC are the real joke.”
Dennis McCann failed PED tests for drostanolone and trenbolone.
Sajjad has done work with Tyson Fury and Conor Benn, who also tested positive for PEDs. Fury tested positive for nandrolone and Benn tested positive for clomifene.
Among the other combat sports stars Sajjad has worked with are Interim WBO Heavyweight Champion Joseph Parker, Lewis Edmondson, George Liddard, influencer boxer King Kenny and UFC’s Paddy Pimblett.
It has emerged that Dr. Sajjad voluntarily relinquished his registration with the BBBoC in 2022 when his connections to Benn were under investigation. Prior to this, he had made controversial statements on a podcast claiming that a significant percentage of elite athletes use performance enhancers.
He told the Quality Shot podcast: “If you are an elite level boxer, you know, pay per view, world class, European level, 80 to 90 per cent are doing it (dr*gs) from what I’m seeing.”
“it’s not just ster*ids.”
“You’ve got IV fluid infusion after weigh-ins, you’ve got diuretics, you’ve got growth hormones, you’ve got testosterone replacements.”
“A lot of times in how the d*ug testing system works, a lot of the fights in the UK, it’s all urine testing.”
Sajjad continued: “You have to be an idiot to fail a dr*g test in England.”
“You would have to take d*ugs two to three days before you fight. The urine test is after a fight. Whereas the one that trips up a lot of athletes is if you sign up to the random d*ug testing, which WADA do.”
“They will track you where you are and can turn up to your house whenever and do a blood test. With a blood test, they can catch things that have been there a month.
“However you can get around the random d*ug testing, because between the hours of 11pm and 7am, they are not allowed to come to your house.”
“A lot of athletes can take fast-acting testosterone or growth hormones which can only be in your body for seven to eight hours.”
“You could take it at 9-10pm and it would be out of your system by 7am. There’s ways to get around it. A lot of tricks.”
The doctor explained that the complex testing landscape makes PED use relatively easy. Urine tests only detect substances from the past 72 hours, while blood tests can reveal usage from up to a month prior.
Furthermore, athletes can strategically time their use. For instance, they can take fast-acting testosterone between 9-10 PM, which will be undetectable by morning testing.
The implications extend beyond mere competitive advantage. Dr. Sajjad noted significant health risks associated with long-term performance-enhancing use, including:
• Heart condition complications
• Cholesterol level disruptions
• Liver damage
• Fertility issues
• Increased stroke risk
While the reality of widespread PED usage might susrprise fans fans, Dr. Sajjad’s candid assessment provides a rare insider’s perspective on boxing’s ongoing performance enhancement challenge.
In the same podcast, Dr. Usman Sajjad unveiled the intricate dynamics of boxing’s behind-the-scenes world, particularly focusing on the controversial figure of Daniel Kinahan.
Dr. Sajjad expressed surprise about the extent of Kinahan’s influence, describing him as potentially Ireland’s equivalent of a “Pablo Escobar” – far from the minor d*ug dealer he initially perceived him to be.
“I heard about Daniel Kinahan for a couple of years and I just thought he was some like ex-petty d*ug dealer… I did not have a clue he was Ireland’s Pablo Escobar like he was Island’s Curtis [Stone]”
Interestingly, despite the controversial allegations surrounding Kinahan, Dr. Sajjad noted that boxers signed to MTK Global consistently speak positively about the organization and Kinahan himself. He also claimed that Kinahan’s alleged past doesn’t necessarily negate potential positive contributions to boxing. Both Tyson and Tommy Fury have been prevented from coming to the US due to their association with Kinehan.
Through his lawyer Scott Ewing, Dr. Sajjad has maintained that he has never been involved in supplying performance-enhancing substances in sport. Both Dr. Sajjad and his legal representative have been contacted for additional comment on these recent developments.
The BBBoC’s decision marks a significant stance in their ongoing efforts to maintain integrity in professional boxing, as they continue to “carefully consider” Dr. Sajjad’s activities within the sport.
