"I know it was never done on purpose."
Amir Khan has opened up about failing a drugs test and subsequently receiving a two-year ban from all sports.
The boxer tested positive for ostarine after his defeat to Kell Brook in 2022.
According to UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), ostarine is a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM) which is a drug designed to have similar effects to testosterone.
Dietary supplements containing ostarine typically claim to promote muscle building.
It is not approved for human consumption in the UK or anywhere else in the world.
Amir has now broken his silence on the matter.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he stated that he did not intentionally take the substance.
Amir explained: “Obviously I have a big team around me to make sure I’m taking the right supplements and the right things so when it first came that it was positive, it was more of a shock to me and the team.
“I was tested throughout the whole training camp.
“This positive result came weeks after the fight.”
Amir went on to say that he has “no idea” how ostarine was detected. He then read the official statement from UKAD which concluded that there is “no rational explanation”.
He compared the amount found in his body to smaller than a grain of salt in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
Continuing to insist that he did not intentionally take the performance-enhancing drug, Amir said:
“I might have picked up a bottle that could have been open and just put it to my mouth and drank some water, shaking hands.
“I don’t know, I honestly don’t know.
“Obviously it’s been found in my system but I can honestly say that I have always been a clean fighter, I’ve always been the type of person who has always asked to be drug tested.”
But he admitted that he has to take responsibility, saying he will speak to Kell Brook over the matter to “clear the air”.
Despite stating that he did not intentionally take the substance, Amir Khan fears for his legacy.
He said: “If people remember me for this incident that happened, it will always upset me because I know it was never done on purpose.”
On whether there is a drug problem in boxing, Amir said:
“I think we need to pay more attention to our teams, the team needs to pay a lot more attention, checking what we eat.”
Speaking about the criticism, Amir said:
“I hope people read the details. They will understand that it must have been an accident.”
On the two-year ban, he added: “Look, it happened on my last fight.
“Obviously I am a retired fighter but just to know that I’ve got a two-year ban, its already been a year and I’ve got another year to go but its not a nice thing to have but maybe this could open eyes for a lot of young fighters who need to be more careful.
“This is where I think other fighters need to pay a bit more attention on what they’re taking and how they are taking things.
“End of the day it was found in my system but like I said, I purposely did not do it to hurt anyone.”
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