Polish professional boxer Krzysztof Glowacki has been banned from all sport for a period of four years following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the Presence and Use of a Prohibited Substance.
On 21 January 2023, UKAD collected an In-Competition urine Sample from Mr Glowacki after his fight against Richard Riakporhe at the AO Arena in Manchester. Analysis of Mr Glowacki’s Sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for boldenone and its Metabolite, 17β-hydroxy-5β-androst-1-en-3-one.
Boldenone is listed under section S1 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2023 Prohibited List as an anabolic androgenic steroid. It is a non-Specified substance that is prohibited in sport at all times.
278 cases related to Boldenone
In the Anti-Doping Database we have registered 278 cases related to Boldenone. 30 athletes from the Czech Republic has been banned for using the substance. Egypt has banned 13, while India has banned 12.
Bodybuilding is the sport with the most cases involving Boldenone. We have registered 68 doping cases so far. That is more than twice as many as Weightlifting which has 31 doping cases for this substance. In Athletics we have registered 26 athletes banned for Boldenone.
In boxing we have only registered 7 athletes banned for the prohibited substance.
Most athletes get long bans for using Boldenone. 139 has been given 4 years suspensions, while 80 has been banned for two years. 18 athletes has been given three years suspensions.
Unsatisfactory course
On 6 April 2023, UKAD notified Mr Glowacki that he may have committed two ADRVs contrary to Article 2.1 (Presence of a Prohibited Substance in an Athlete’s Sample) and 2.2 (Use or Attempted Use by an Athlete of a Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method) of the 2021 UK Anti-Doping Rules (‘ADR’). UKAD also provisionally suspended Mr Glowacki from all Code-compliant sport from this date.
On 2 June 2023, UKAD charged Mr Glowacki with both ADRVs. Mr Glowacki responded on 12 June 2023, denying the ADRVs and asserting that he had not taken any Prohibited Substance.
Mr Glowacki’s case was heard by the independent National-Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) on 31 October 2023. Glowacki attended the hearing without a legal representative. He did have a friend present as a interpreter.
In the legal papers the NADP writes: "These proceedings have taken an unsatisfactory course."
And later: "Notably until the day of the hearing Mr. Glowacki never mentioned what emerged at the hearing as the central point of the case, that a possibility of a doctor in Poland having provided him with medical treatment incorporating steroids".
NADP gave the former WBO-champion three days to provide medical evidence.
The NADP issued a decision on 21 November 2023 which imposed a period of Ineligibility of four years. Mr Glowacki’s period of Ineligibility commenced on 6 April 2023 and will expire at 11:59pm on 5 April 2027.
Speaking on the case, Hamish Coffey, UKAD Director of Operations said: “It is very important that athletes respect the rules and understand their responsibilities to uphold clean sport. Boldenone, as with all steroids, is performance enhancing and undermines the integrity of sport. There is no place for steroids in sport.”