Controversy continues to swirl around Ryan Garcia’s 2024 failed drug test as Victor Conte, a prominent anti-doping advocate and member of Devin Haney’s team, has raised fresh questions about the sequence of events.
The incident saw the New York State Athletic Commission wipe Garcia’s career-best victory over Haney from the record books. In April that year, Garcia looked superb despite weeks of uncertainty over his mental health and subsequently admitted to alcohol abuse.
As it turns out, Garcia had Ostarine in his system, which Conte believes the fighter deliberately did and then attempted to cover up.
Fresh Accusations of Tampering
Garcia tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine on two consecutive days. According to Conte, the 27-year-old later submitted two unsealed supplement containers, which he claimed were the source of contamination. Both products returned positive for Ostarine.
However, the manufacturers then provided sealed containers with the identical lot numbers, and both tested negative. This scenario has led Conte to suggest possible tampering, with the products Garcia handed over potentially spiked before testing.
Conte posted: “Ryan Garcia tested positive for Ostarine two days in a row. He sent in two UNSEALED products that both contained Ostarine and claimed these were his source of exposure.
“Both companies sent in SEALED containers with the same lot numbers. Both tested negative. Seems that tampering was involved, and someone spiked both products with Ostarine.”
The Unanswered Questions
On Garcia’s punishment, Conte added, “Ryan chose not to attend a NYSAC hearing and simply accepted a one-year suspension and a million-dollar fine. Why did Ryan choose not to attend a hearing where facts in the case would be made publicly available?”
Garcia lost his $1.2 million purse from the fight at the hearing, and took the lesser of two evils in a one-year over a two-year if he’d contested the ban.
Conte has questioned that decision, asking why Garcia would decline a hearing that would have put all evidence on public record.
The accusations deepen an already chaotic chapter in Garcia’s career following his victory over Haney, which the NYSAC has since overturned to a no-contest.
With Conte continuing to press the issue, debate still rages over whether the star welterweight, as devout fans continue to back the fighter and insist he’s clean and merely a victim.
To compound Garcia’s misery, upon his return from suspension, Garcia lost to Rolly Romero, ending hopes of a lucrative rematch with Haney in November.
Brian Norman Jr. took his place in the fight, giving Haney another world title shot in a separate weight class. Garcia is yet to confirm his return to the ring.
About the Author
Phil Jay is a veteran boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News since 2010, Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and reported ringside on boxing’s biggest nights. [View all articles by Phil Jay] and learn more about his work in combat sports journalism.