UK PED testing agency has banned a deceased Mexican boxer from participating in their events for four years. Moises “Taz” Calleros, who passed away suddenly on March 1 at the age of 34, was found to have tested positive for coke following his defeat to British boxer Galal Yafai in April 2023.
Calleros’ bout against Yafai, which took place on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s victory over Jermaine Franklin at the O2 Arena in London, ended in a fourth-round TKO win for the 31-year-old British star. However, the positive test result has now led to the UK regulatory agency handing down a four-year ban to Calleros, despite the fact that he had already died three months prior to the announcement.
According to the news source, Calleros’ death was suspected to have been caused by a cardiac arrest. The UK Anti-Doping agency appeared to be unaware of his passing when they confirmed the positive test for the Class-A substance, coke.
Galal Yafai, who claimed the victory over Calleros, has not been implicated in any wrongdoing. The 31-year-old British boxer is currently ranked fourth in the World Boxing Council flyweight division and is considered one of the rising stars in the sport.
The news of Calleros’ posthumous ban has sparked outrage and confusion among boxing fans and industry professionals. Many have questioned the logic and ethical implications of banning a deceased individual from participating in events.
“It’s absolutely absurd that they would ban someone who has already passed away,” said one boxing analyst. “This decision raises serious questions about the competence and decision-making processes of the UKAD agency.”
UKAD has since released a statement but no apology:
24 June 2024, 17:35
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has today received information regarding the death of Mexican professional boxer Moises Calleros.
UKAD received this information shortly after publishing details of the outcome from a case concerning Mr Calleros in accordance with the UK Anti-Doping Rules.
Unfortunately, UKAD had no information regarding Mr Calleros’ sad passing at the time of publication and has now removed all details of this case from its channels.
