Joseph Parker breaks silence on failed drugs test for cocaine

Joseph Parker has claimed his nutritionist’s cocaine use was to blame for a failed drugs test days before fighting Fabio Wardley

Last November, former world champion Joseph Parker tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, in a sample taken on October 26 before his fight with Fabio Wardley.

The 34-year-old New Zealander protested his innocence and asked UK Anti-Doping for time to gather evidence that the adverse test was a result of contamination.

Following a period of silence, UKAD have now confirmed Parker has served a backdated three-month ban. UKAD said that Parker’s nutritionist admitted he was “a regular user of cocaine.”

Parker has worked with the nutritionist since 2023 but denied knowingly taking any illegal or banned substances. An independent expert determined that Parker’s ingestion of cocaine would have taken place “out of competition” – UKAD said.

UKAD said Thursday it imposed a three-month ban which was deemed served because the 34-year-old New Zealander had been suspended since late November.

Parker is free to fight again after the anti-doping organization accepted that "any ingestion of cocaine by Mr. Parker occurred out-of-competition only and in a context unrelated to sport performance." It noted that "cocaine is prohibited in-competition only."

Parker had told investigators he "did not knowingly or intentionally use cocaine" and alleged the positive test "was the result of his exposure to cocaine from use by a nutritionist he employed in preparation for the bout," UKAD's decision read.

Parker's explanation, UKAD reported, included "a written statement from the nutritionist who admitted to being a regular user of cocaine, as well as to daily use of cocaine from 17 to 24 October 2025. The nutritionist stated that his cocaine use took place in his hotel room, where he also prepared meals and drinks for Mr. Parker to consume."

The doping regulators lifted Parker’s provisional ban and offered a three-month suspension. They considered that to have been served between November 2025 and February 2026 – when Parker was out of the ring amid the scandal. Parker accepted the ban in July and has since stated he is free to fight again.

An independent scientific expert told UKAD, "It is also my opinion that Mr. Parker's administration of cocaine may have occurred orally from food contaminated with cocaine by his sports nutritionist who has admitted being a user of cocaine."

In June, UKAD said it confirmed to Parker that in light of the expert's opinion, it was satisfied that any ingestion of cocaine occurred out-of-competition.

As a result, the organization said, "and irrespective of the merits of Mr. Parker's explanation," the provisional ban was lifted and the three-month ban imposed. On July 28, Parker confirmed that he accepted the ruling.

Parker said on social media that he would be "back in the ring soon."

Parker won the vacant WBO World heavyweight title in December 2016 when he defeated Andy Ruiz Jr. on a majority decision. He then lost the belt to Anthony Joshua on a unanimous decision in March 2018 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.