The WBC has effectively cleared Conor Benn of any wrongdoing after testing positive ahead of his fight against Chris Eubank Jr.
Benn remains subject to a UK Anti-Doping Agency and British Board of Boxing Control investigation over an adverse analytical finding for the banned substance Clomiphene.
But in a lengthy statement, the WBC ruled he could return to their rankings because “there was no conclusive evidence that Mr Benn engaged in intentional or knowing ingestion of Clomiphene”.
From the outset of the test, carried out by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, Benn has denied any wrongdoing and insisted the banned substance was down to his diet in the build-up to the fight.
The WBC said he and his team had provided them with a breakdown of all his diet and supplements, and supported his argument that the positive test was linked to his excessive consumption of eggs.
In its ruling, the organisation said: “Mr Benn’s documented and highly elevated consumption of eggs during the times relevant to the sample collection. This raised a reasonable explanation for the adverse finding”.
In the wake of its investigation, the WBC said its nutrition team would work with Benn to avoid any future adverse analytical findings and that he would the subject of regular drug testing.
It also said it planned to correspond with the World Anti-Doping Agency over its concerns about Clomiphene as a food contaminant and “the potential for false positives caused by ingestion of contaminated food”.
