British heavyweight boxer of Nigerian descent, Lawrence Okolie, has returned an adverse doping test ahead of his scheduled fight against France’s Olympic champion Tony Yoka in Paris this weekend, promoters Queensberry confirmed on Tuesday.

In a statement, Queensberry Promotions disclosed that the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) notified them of the failed test following routine screening conducted in the build-up to Saturday’s bout.

“Last night, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) informed Queensberry that Lawrence Okolie returned an adverse finding following an anti-doping test conducted ahead of the show in Paris this Saturday,” the statement read, adding that further updates on the event would be communicated in due course.

The development casts doubt over the highly anticipated clash with Yoka, a gold medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, and raises fresh concerns about the integrity of the fight card.

Okolie, 33, a former world champion at cruiserweight and bridgerweight, responded swiftly to the allegations, insisting the result was linked to medical treatment for an injury sustained during training.

“Before anyone starts imagining the worst, following my bicep injury last year, I sustained an elbow injury on the same arm during this camp,” Okolie said via social media.

“I had a treatment on it and now we are here. I truly hope sense prevails. I will of course be fully co-operating with all relevant authorities and I’m confident any investigation will clear my name.”

The British-Nigerian fighter, who also represented Team GB at the 2016 Olympics, has been positioning himself for a shot at the WBC heavyweight title. He is currently ranked number one contender behind reigning champion Oleksandr Usyk and interim title holder Agit Kabayel.

With the Paris bout now in jeopardy, attention will turn to the outcome of further testing and investigations, which will determine both Okolie’s immediate future and his ambitions in the heavyweight division.

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As the world marks the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking this Thursday, the Chioma Ajunwa Foundation will lead Nigeria’s commemoration with its annual seminar focused on combating the growing scourge of substance abuse among youths.

The event, scheduled to take place at the National Institute for Sports (NIS) Gymnasium, inside the National Stadium in Lagos, will feature the theme: “Golden Dreams Without Drug Abuse or Trafficking.”

According to Dr. Chioma Ajunwa-Oparah, Olympic gold medallist and President of the Foundation, the seminar aligns with the global observance initiated by the United Nations to raise awareness of the major problems that illicit drugs represent to society, particularly among vulnerable youth populations.

“June 26 is not just another date—it is a global call to action,” Ajunwa-Oparah stated. “On this day, nations unite to say no to drug abuse and trafficking, and our foundation is proud to be part of that global movement, especially here in Nigeria where the impact is deeply felt.”

Ajunwa-Oparah stressed that the seminar is aimed at educating young Nigerians on the dangers of drug use while providing positive examples of how to achieve success without turning to mind-altering substances or engaging in drug trafficking.

“Sadly, the economic and social pressures many of our youths face have made drugs a tempting escape. But we must not allow this menace to define their future,” she warned. “Across Nigeria and the continent, we see the consequences—young lives derailed, families broken, and streets filled with dreams turned to despair.”

The seminar will bring together policymakers, youth advocates, health experts, educators, and former addicts, who will all contribute to a collective discussion on tackling drug abuse from multiple fronts.

By aligning with the United Nations observance, the Chioma Ajunwa Foundation reinforces the message that fighting drug abuse is not just a local or national challenge—but a shared global responsibility.

“We want every young person to know that golden dreams are still possible—without drugs and without crime,” Ajunwa-Oparah concluded.

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 Novak Djokovic said a majority of players believe favouritism is at play in the tennis anti-doping system and called for it to be overhauled in the wake of cases involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek.

Sinner on Saturday accepted a three-month doping ban after testing positive for anabolic agent clostebol last year, while Swiatek served a one-month ban at the end of 2024 when the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ) showed up in her test.

While Djokovic was not suggesting that either of the Grand Slam champions had intentionally done anything wrong, he did say there were inconsistencies in their treatment at the hands of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

“The two cases of Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner have attracted a lot of attention and it’s not a good image for our sport,” the 24-times Grand Slam champion said at the Qatar Open on Monday.

“A majority of the players don’t feel that (the process is) fair. A majority of the players feel like there is favouritism happening

“It appears that you can almost affect the outcome if you are a top player, if you have access to the top lawyers and whatnot,” Djokovic added.

Other current and former players such as Nick Kyrgios, Stan Wawrinka and Tim Henman have raised questions over Sinner’s case, the latter suggesting that the expiration of his ban just before the Rome Masters and French Open was “too convenient”.

Djokovic, who co-founded the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) as a voice for the athletes in the game, said there was a widespread mistrust of the entire doping process among his fellow players.

“I think right now it’s the ripe time for us to address the system, because the system and the structure obviously doesn’t work on anti-doping, it’s obvious,” the 37-year-old Serbian said.

“I hope in the near future the governing bodies are going to come together, of our Tours and the tennis ecosystem, and try to find a more effective way to deal with these processes.

“It’s inconsistent and it appears to be very unfair.”

Sinner’s agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), who had appealed when the Italian was cleared without punishment last year, recognised his explanation that tainted products used by his masseur had been behind the positive test.

“Sinner got suspended for three months because of the mistakes and the negligence of his team members that are working on the (ATP) Tour, so that’s also something that I personally, and a lot of players, find a bit strange,” Djokovic said.

Djokovic pointed out that it looked like very different processes were followed by the ITIA in doping cases involving the likes of Romanian Simona Halep and Briton Tara Moore.

“There are so many inconsistencies between the cases,” he said.

“We have seen on social media Simona Halep and Tara Moore and some other players that are maybe less known that have been struggling to resolve their cases for years, or have gotten the ban for years.

“We have to bear in mind that Sinner and Swiatek at the time were number ones in the world when we had those announcements happening,” he added.

-Reuters

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