Take Money’s Opponent Handed 2-Year Ban For Use Of...

Take Money’s Opponent Handed 2-Year Ban For Use Of Prohibited Substance

Phiri receives a left punch to the chin from “Take Money” during their WBC interim super-bantamweight contest in Lusaka, Zambia, in February

Gilbert Munetsi

Catherine Phiri, the Zambian boxer who fought Zimbabwe’s Kudakwashe “Take Money” Chiwandire for the World Boxing Council Interim super-bantamweight title in February this year, has been banned from all sporting activity for admittedly failing an anti-doping test carried out after the match.

Mandatorily, the urine samples of boxers taking part in international championships such as WBC are collected soon after a bout and tested to establish if prohibited performance-enhancing substances have been used.

In a statement today, the Zambia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board and the Olympic Committee of Zambia jointly issued a statement to announce Phiri’s two-year ban from boxing and any other sporting activity effective May 10, 2022.

Soon after the pronouncement by Colonel Dr Wamunyimachingumbe, Phiri was quick to eat humble pie, and offered an apology to her legion of fans and nation at large, saying:

“I would like to apologise to all boxing fans and the nation at large for the negative publicity that comes with my suspension. In my boxing career, I have never taken any performance-enhancing drug. I have been subjected to numerous drug tests during a professional career spanning over 10 years.

“During the preparations for my world title fight, I took a drug to help me lose weight quickly, not knowing that the drug was on the prohibited list. I did this without the knowledge of my coach and manager. I deeply regret my actions.”

Procedurally and in accordance with the WBC competition requirements, anti-doping tests are carried out by the Africa Zone V1 Regional Doping Organisation (RADO) at the venue of the match.

In the case of Phiri and Chiwandire, urine samples were collected and transported to the South African Doping Control Laboratory which is a lab accredited with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

After analysis, the Bloemfontein-based testing centre established a prohibited substance, furosemide, was present in Phiri’s sample.

According to health experts, the drug is a loop diuretic normally used in the management of edema (body swelling) associated with heart failure, liver and renal disease.

Per procedure, Phiri’s case was subsequently tried by a barrister from Ireland who found her guilty of contravening Article 2.1 and 2.2 of the AD Rules, leading to her receiving the ban.

Meanwhile, the delay by promoters in hosting the highly-rated fight between “Take Money” and Zulina Munoz of Mexico may, after all, be a blessing in disguise as has it has emerged the winner between the two will automatically face the winner between two Mexican champions fighting on October 15 (same new date for the Harare showdown).

Sources within the World Boxing Council confided to Zim Now that Yamileth Mercado (W19-KO5; L3; D0) will be facing fellow country woman, Mariana “Barbie” Juarez ( W55-KO19; L11; D0) in Chihuahua, Mexico, on the same day that Chiwandire fulfils her WBC interim championship defence fixture at the Harare International Conference Centre. The winner between Chiwandire and Munoz mandatorily fights the victor between Mercado and Juarez.

The decision, according to the source, has originated from the office of the vice president of WBC, Houicine Houichi who will be travelling to Harare as commissioner for the “Fire In The Hole” showdown next week on Saturday.

The fight has been cancelled on two occasions owing to failure by those involved to fundraise for the promotion. Government has since stepped in to salvage the situation and a new, final date, October 15, arrived at.

Both Mercado and Juarez are boxers of repute who, between them, have won several world championships. The former is a two-time WBC international and four-time WBC world titles holder, while the latter has won the WBC straps in two divisions, the Flyweight and Bantamweight a combined 37 times.