Ryan Garcia's Positive Ostarine Test: Implications for His Win Against Devin Haney and Boxing Integrity

New York City, New York, USA United States of America
Garcia has 10 days to request that his B-sample be tested, which could potentially clear his name if the results are negative.
Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator that binds to proteins in the body and effectively tells muscles to grow, making it an attractive option for athletes looking for performance enhancement.
Ryan Garcia tested positive for Ostarine on the day before and the day of his win over Devin Haney.
The outcome of Garcia's victory over Haney may be overturned if the B-sample also tests positive for Ostarine or any other banned substance.
The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) reported the findings in letters sent to all parties involved.
Ryan Garcia's Positive Ostarine Test: Implications for His Win Against Devin Haney and Boxing Integrity

Ryan Garcia, a prominent boxer, faced allegations of using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) after testing positive for Ostarine before and after his fight against Devin Haney on April 20, 2024. The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) reported the findings in letters sent to all parties involved.

Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), which binds to proteins in the body and effectively tells muscles to grow. It has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list since 2008 due to its potential for enhancing athletic performance.

Garcia, who denied cheating allegations, posted a video on X stating that he doesn't even know where to get steroids. However, his team is working with Golden Boy Promotions to determine the origin of the positive test results.

The outcome of Garcia's victory over Haney may be overturned unless the B-sample returns negative, which is rare in such cases. The result would have significant implications for both fighters as Haney lost his pound-for-pound recognition and fell to No. 4 in ESPN's 140-pound rankings.

The incident highlights the importance of fairness, safety, and integrity in professional athletic competition. It also serves as a reminder that athletes must be diligent about their supplement intake to avoid unintentionally consuming banned substances.

Background: Ryan Garcia (25-1, 15 KOs) defeated Devin Haney (28-1, 15 KOs) via majority decision in a highly anticipated WBC super lightweight title bout at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The fight was significant as it marked Haney's first professional loss and Garcia's lone career defeat coming from Gervonta Davis last April.

Facts:

  1. Ryan Garcia tested positive for Ostarine on the day before and the day of his win over Devin Haney.
  2. The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) reported the findings in letters sent to all parties involved.
  3. Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator that binds to proteins in the body and effectively tells muscles to grow, making it an attractive option for athletes looking for performance enhancement.
  4. Garcia has 10 days to request that his B-sample be tested, which could potentially clear his name if the results are negative.
  5. The outcome of Garcia's victory over Haney may be overturned if the B-sample also tests positive for Ostarine or any other banned substance.
  6. Haney fell to No. 4 in ESPN's 140-pound rankings and lost his pound-for-pound recognition following the defeat.
  7. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of fairness, safety, and integrity in professional athletic competition.

Sources: ESPN Forbes The Guardian



Confidence

80%

Doubts
  • Can Garcia's team prove that he did not intentionally use Ostarine?
  • How accurate are the test results?
  • Is there a possibility of contaminated supplements causing a false positive?

Sources

66%

  • Unique Points
    • Ryan Garcia tested positive for Ostarine in a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association test taken ahead of his majority decision win over Devin Haney.
    • Garcia now has 10 days to request that his B-sample be tested.
    • Garcia defeated Devin Haney via majority decision in their bout last month in Brooklyn.
    • Devin Haney’s first loss of his career came against Garcia, who now holds a 25-1 record with 15 KOs.
  • Accuracy
    • Ryan Garcia defeated Devin Haney via majority decision in their bout last month in Brooklyn.
  • Deception (0%)
    The author, Ryan Young, makes several statements that are emotionally manipulative and sensational. He uses strong language such as 'now in question', 'in question', 'stunned Haney', 'upset win', and 'majority decision win' to create a sense of drama and suspense. He also quotes Devin Haney's father using the phrase 'you trying to hurt my baby'. The author also reports that Garcia tested positive for Ostarine, a banned substance, but does not provide any context or evidence as to how reliable this information is. This lack of transparency and the sensational language used make it difficult to trust the accuracy of the information presented.
    • Ryan Garcia's win over Devin Haney is now in question.
    • I know in my heart of hearts I didn’t cheat. So I’m going to keep trolling this s***, this s*** is f***ing hilarious.
    • Garcia responded to the news on social media Wednesday night, and repeatedly denied the allegations in a series of posts, videos and a live broadcast.
    • Garcia tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug in a test taken related to his majority decision win over Haney, according to multiple reports on Wednesday night.
  • Fallacies (80%)
    The author makes an appeal to emotion when quoting Haney's father's statement 'You trying to hurt my baby.' and Garcia's statement 'All you motherf***ers that say I cheated, you guys can all suck my d***. I didn’t f***ing cheat a day in my life. Never have, never will.' These statements do not provide any logical reasoning or evidence to support the article's claims and instead rely on emotional reactions.
    • You trying to hurt my baby.
    • All you motherf***ers that say I cheated, you guys can all suck my d***. I didn’t f***ing cheat a day in my life. Never have, never will.
  • Bias (80%)
    The author does not directly express bias towards Ryan Garcia or Devin Haney in the article. However, the author does include quotes from both parties that could be perceived as biased. Devin Haney's father is quoted saying 'You trying to hurt my baby. We played it fair.' and 'If you can brag about doing it, you shouldn’t be on drugs.' These statements express anger and accusations towards Ryan Garcia, implying bias against him. Ryan Garcia is quoted saying 'I need more steroids I’m addicted' and 'All of the sudden I win, and then you release it? Seems kind of fishy to me.' These statements could be perceived as defensive or dismissive, implying a bias towards himself. The author does not express any personal opinion or bias in the article, but the quotes from both parties could be interpreted as biased.
    • If you can brag about doing it, you shouldn’t be on drugs.
      • You trying to hurt my baby. We played it fair.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      73%

      • Unique Points
        • Ryan Garcia tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance ostarine the day before and the day of his win over Devin Haney on April 20, 2024.
        • Garcia denied cheating allegations in a video posted on X and claimed he doesn’t even know where to get steroids.
        • Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions is working with Garcia’s team to determine how this finding came to be.
        • Golden Boy stated that they believe Garcia and that Ryan has put out multiple statements denying knowingly using any banned substances.
        • The result of the fight between Garcia and Haney may be overturned unless the B-sample returns negative, which is rare.
        • Haney fell to No. 4 in ESPN’s 140-pound rankings and lost his pound-for-pound recognition after being ranked No. 6 by ESPN going into the fight.
        • Safety, fairness, and integrity in professional athletic competition are essential for the New York State Athletic Commission.
        • Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator that attaches to proteins in the body and effectively tells muscles to grow. It has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list since 2008.
        • Lucian Bute tested positive for ostarine following a draw with Badou Jack in their WBC super middleweight title fight in 2016, resulting in a DQ win for Jack.
        • Amir Khan was handed a two-year ban by UK Anti-Doping after he tested positive for ostarine following his sixth-round TKO loss to Kell Brook in 2022.
        • Garcia has a massive social media presence with more than 12 million followers on Instagram. His lone career defeat came via seventh-round TKO vs. Gervonta Davis last April.
      • Accuracy
        • Ryan Garcia tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance ostarine the day before and the day of his win over Devin Haney on April 20, 20XX.
        • Garcia denied cheating allegations in a video posted on X and claimed he doesn’t even know where to get steroids.
        • The result of the fight between Garcia and Haney may be overturned unless the B-sample returns negative, which is rare.
      • Deception (30%)
        The author makes no editorializing or pontification in this article. However, there are instances of selective reporting and emotional manipulation. The author only reports details that support the allegation of Garcia testing positive for a banned substance, while omitting any information that may cast doubt on the allegation or provide context for Garcia's denial. For example, the author does not mention that Haney also missed weight before the fight and paid Garcia a large sum of money as a result. The author also quotes Haney's statement in full, but only includes part of Garcia's statement where he denies taking steroids and implies that he is joking about it. This creates an emotional response in the reader by portraying Garcia as arrogant and dismissive of the serious allegations against him. The author also fails to disclose any sources for the VADA letter, which raises questions about its legitimacy.
        • Everybody knows that I don’t cheat.
        • I barely take supplements. Big lies, I beat his ass.
      • Fallacies (80%)
        The author makes an appeal to authority when stating that ostarine is a performance-enhancing substance and has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list since 2008. The author also mentions specific cases of boxers who have tested positive for ostarine, but no fallacies are directly stated by the author.
        • ][The author] Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator that attaches to proteins in the body and effectively tells muscles to grow. It is used to aid performance by helping athletes build muscle mass and enhance their rate of fat loss and also to increase stamina and recovery ability. It has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list since 2008[/]
        • [The author] Ostarine has been used in boxing before. Lucian Bute tested positive for it in 2016 following a draw with Badou Jack in their WBC super middleweight title fight. The result was changed to a DQ win for Jack.
        • [The author] Amir Khan was handed a two-year ban by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) after he tested positive for ostarine following his sixth-round TKO loss to Kell Brook in 2022.
      • Bias (80%)
        The author, Mike Coppinger, does not directly express any bias in the article. However, he does include statements from Ryan Garcia denying cheating allegations and Haney's statement about Garcia disrespecting the sport of boxing by fighting dirty and breaking positive for a banned substance. These statements could be perceived as biased based on their perspective, but they do not necessarily reflect bias on the part of the author. The author also includes facts about previous instances of boxers testing positive for ostarine and being penalized accordingly.
        • Despite the disadvantage, I still fought on my shield and got back up! People die in this sport. This isn't a joking matter.
          • ]Everybody knows that I don't cheat[
            • ... Ryan has put out multiple statements denying knowingly using any banned substances -- and we believe him[
              • We learned about this situation not too long ago and it's unfortunate Ryan cheated and disrespected both the fans and the sport of boxing by fighting dirty and breaking positive not once, but twice[
              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication

              84%

              • Unique Points
                • Ryan Garcia tested positive for Ostarine twice, once before and once on the day of his fight against Devin Haney.
                • Ostarine is a type of drug called a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) that is not approved by the FDA but sometimes found in supplements.
                • Garcia mentioned Ashwagandha as a potential culprit, but its impact on VADA testing is unclear.
                • Ostarine binds to proteins in the body known as androgen receptors and tells muscles to grow.
                • Ostarine is an investigational drug and banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
                • Garcia missed weight for his fight with Haney by more than three pounds over the contracted limit.
                • B-samples with differing results from A-samples are rare, but in Garcia’s case, it complicates the outcome following his fight against Haney.
              • Accuracy
                • , Ostarine binds to proteins in the body known as androgen receptors and tells muscles to grow.
                • , Ryan Garcia defeated Devin Haney via majority decision in their bout last month in Brooklyn.
              • Deception (50%)
                The article is highly sensationalized and misleading. It implies that Ryan Garcia's use of Ostarine directly led to his weight-miss before the fight with Devin Haney, which has not been proven. The author also does not disclose sources for several claims made in the article.
                • The author sensationalizes by stating that Ostarine 'attaches to proteins in the body known as androgen receptors, telling muscles to grow', without linking to peer-reviewed studies.
                • The author uses anecdotal evidence from other athletes who have tested positive for Ostarine in the past to imply intentional cheating by Garcia: 'More recently, Amir Khan tested positive for the drug ahead of his TKO loss to Kell Brook in February 2022.'
                • The article references a rare case where a B-sample differed from an A-sample: 'Garcia has ten days to request a B-sample of his testing. B-samples with differing results from the A-sample are rare.' This could potentially mislead readers into thinking that Garcia's case is unique in this regard.
                • The article references a study from WebMD, but does not disclose that it is not a peer-reviewed source: 'According to WebMD...'.
                • The article implies a direct connection between Ryan Garcia's failed drug test and his weight-miss before the fight with Devin Haney: '...many will read the description of the drug and immediately draw a connection to Garcia’s failed efforts to make the 140-pound limit for the fight with Haney.'
                • The author misleads readers by stating that food and supplements must be scrutinized to avoid failing drug tests for banned substances, implying that this is a direct cause of Garcia's failed test: 'Fighter...especially one trying to make weight while maintaining muscle, strength, and stamina...might see advantages from taking Ostarine.'
              • Fallacies (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Bias (95%)
                The author Brian Mazique makes no overtly biased statements in the article. However, he does use language that could be perceived as depicting Garcia in a negative light by suggesting that Garcia's failed drug tests and his denials of taking performance-enhancing drugs may indicate an intention to cheat. The author also mentions other fighters who have tested positive for Ostarine, which could be seen as implying that there is a pattern of cheating among boxers who use this substance.
                • ]A fighter, especially one trying to make weight while maintaining muscle, strength, and stamina, might see advantages from taking Ostarine.[
                  • Does this mean Garcia intentionally cheated? No, but like all college and professional athletes, Garcia is required to know what he takes into his system. Food and especially supplements must be scrutinized to avoid failing drug tests for banned substances.
                    • Furthermore, WebMD says, "Ostarine is an investigational drug and therefore not approved for any use by the US FDA. Despite this, it is still sometimes found in dietary supplements, particularly those marketed for bodybuilding. Ostarine, along with other SARMS, is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).[
                    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication

                    70%

                    • Unique Points
                      • Ryan Garcia tested positive for ostarine on the day before and the day after his fight against Devin Haney.
                      • Garcia also reportedly tested positive for 19-norandrosterone, but this is unconfirmed in other sources.
                    • Accuracy
                      • Garcia scored three knockdowns of Haney and handed him the first defeat of his professional career in a dramatic upset on April 20, 20XX.
                    • Deception (0%)
                      The author makes no editorializing or pontification in the article. However, there are instances of selective reporting and sensationalism. The article only reports on the positive drug tests for ostarine by Ryan Garcia before and after his fight with Devin Haney without mentioning any potential context or explanation for these test results. This creates a misleading impression that Garcia is definitely guilty of using performance-enhancing drugs, even though the B-sample has not been tested yet and there could be other explanations for the positive tests. The article also sensationalizes the story by implying that Garcia's win over Haney may be overturned to a no-contest if the drug tests are confirmed, without providing any evidence that this is a certain outcome.
                      • Garcia scored three knockdowns of Haney and handed the WBC super lightweight champion the first defeat of his professional career in a dramatic upset on 20 April.
                      • The news of Garcia’s failed drug tests, which if confirmed would likely result in a suspension and the overturning of the result to a no-contest.
                    • Fallacies (75%)
                      The author makes an appeal to authority by mentioning that ostarine is considered a safer alternative to steroids and has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list since 2008. They also mention Amir Khan's ban for having ostarine in his system. However, this does not excuse Garcia from any wrongdoing if he did indeed test positive for ostarine.
                      • ][author] The author makes an appeal to authority by mentioning that ostarine is considered a safer alternative to steroids and has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list since 2008. They also mention Amir Khan's ban for having ostarine in his system.[/
                    • Bias (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication