Canelo Alvarez Blames 'Contaminated Meat' For Failed Drug Test

Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin are scheduled to meet in a highly-anticipated rematch on May 5, but that bout has just been thrown into jeopardy. Alvarez has tested positive for trace amounts of the performance-enhancing drug Clenbuterol, but it’s OK guys, he has an great excuse: contaminated meat.

While it sounds fishy, there may actually be some truth to Alvarez’s claim. Clenbuterol is given to animals intended for meat consumption in Mexico and Canada. It helps produce leaner meat. And this isn’t the first time a Mexican athlete has tested positive for the drug.

Back in 2011, members of the Mexican soccer team tested positive for Clenbuterol, but were later cleared when it was determined meat was the culprit. In 2016, boxer Francisco Vargas also tested positive for the drug, but was also later cleared because he passed subsequent tests.

Dr. Larry Eichner, the president of the Sports Medicine Research & Testing Laboratory (SMRTL) said, “These values are all within the range of what is expected from meat contamination.” SMRTL is the lab that conducted the test and is one of two World Anti-Doping Agency accredited labs in the U.S.

Alvarez and his team immediately issued a statement about the positive test and have moved training camp from Mexico to the United States to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Golovkin’s camp has not issued a formal response to the test, but given the amount of money at stake I seriously doubt they will make a fuss over this. If Alvarez gets popped again, the meat excuse won’t fly, but for now he’ll likely be given the benefit of the doubt given the past issues Mexican athletes have had with contamination.

So, contaminated meat? I guess I’ll buy that. Though if I was using performance-enhancing drugs in Mexico that would be the first excuse I’d go for.