Statement by Lucas Browne:
I made clear to the public last week that I intended to do all that I can to clear my name after the devastating news of the positive drug test following my successful defeat of Ruslan Chagaev for the WBA Heavyweight World Championship.
I am now able to report to you that on February 29th shortly after having arrived in Chechnya I was subjected to a randomly timed drug test by VADA. This was a test of blood and urine. The post fight test was a urine only test. I would like to again stress it was myself and my team who requested the bout be subject to VADA testing.
I now hold clear and unequivocal evidence that this test was a negative test and shows clearly that I arrived in Chechnya a clean athlete. Hatton Promotions have made this information available to the media today.
Following that clean test I ate only at the hotel in which we were hosted and at the meal following the boxers media weigh in. The water I drank on the night of the fight was sealed bottled water.
I wish to make it clear that I have at this stage no reason to take issue with the VADA testing of me in and around this fight. Given the result of the A sample I have no reason to believe that the B sample will provide any different results to the A sample.
My team’s investigations will now concentrate on the period of time between the clean test on 29 February and the fight itself on 5 March. I maintain that I did not knowingly consume any banned substance, including the Clenbutrol found in my system in that time.
My team have worked tirelessly in support of me and I thank them for this and their unwavering faith in me. I thank the public for their understanding and support of the situation I find myself in also. I will continue to do all that I can to clear my name.
