Parker Blames Failed Drug Test on Nutritionist's Cocaine Use
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- Joseph Parker returned an adverse analytical finding for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, during a routine UKAD test shortly after his October 25, 2025 loss to Fabio Wardley in London.
- Parker told UKAD on March 6, 2026 that the finding resulted from exposure to cocaine used by his nutritionist, whom he had first worked with in April 2023.
- The nutritionist admitted to UKAD that he was a regular cocaine user who had used the drug daily in the week leading up to the Wardley bout.
- UKAD's independent scientific expert concluded Parker's cocaine ingestion most likely took place out of competition (before 11:59pm on October 24, 2025) and that contamination via food prepared by the nutritionist was possible, though they could not rule out a larger pharmacologically active dose.
- UKAD imposed a three-month period of ineligibility (deemed served) and lifted Parker's provisional suspension on June 22, 2026, allowing him to resume his career immediately.
- Parker went into the Wardley fight on a six-fight winning streak with statement wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, and the bout's result has been reclassified from a knockout loss to a defeat by disqualification.
Why it matters: Parker's return clears the WBO mandatory challenger picture at heavyweight, as he can now resume his path toward a title shot. However, the scientific expert's refusal to rule out a larger active dose — alongside UKAD's full publication of the nutritionist's admission — leaves a credibility cloud that promoters, broadcasters, and regulators will weigh when sanctioning his next bout.
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