Tony Yoka Suspended 12 Months For Doping Violations

Carlos ToroJuly 9, 2018, 5:30 pm

Rising heavyweight star Tony Yoka has been suspended one year by the AFLD for failing to notify the agency of his whereabouts for three separate tests.

According to L’Equipe, the suspension came after a lengthy investigation that has been going on for months but Yoka resumed his boxing career during the investigation. The suspension came from failing to inform the organization of his whereabouts for a test on July 2016, September 2016 and March 2017 so that he may be tested but he has never tested positive for any banned substances.

Even though he is suspended in France, Yoka is still eligible to fight abroad, but according to Boxing Scene, Yoka said he is not interested in fighting abroad at the moment.

“I’m told I could box abroad, but I’m not interested,” Yoka said. “I always said that I wanted to box in my country, bring the first world heavyweight championship belt here.”

Yoka is coming off a win over British heavyweight contender David Allen in Paris back in June. Yoka moved to 5-0 thanks to a TKO in the 10th and final round. Allen took to Twitter to respond to Yoka’s suspension, saying he doesn’t think Yoka cheated by taking any illegal substances.

Funny that he missed 4 tests and that they now ban him for a year and there was no drug testing for our fight I certainly wasn’t tested ? I knew all this going into the fight, loads of them are at it and it ain’t my job to get them out I just fight whoever wherever https://t.co/SfT2AyGjW7

— David De La Allen (@davidthewhiter1) July 5, 2018

I’ve spoke about all this mate, way I see it is he hasn’t failed a test just missed numerous, we can all make our own assumptions of what we think the truth is but I see it as the better man won and hope he’s a straight fella who’s made a mistake by missing them https://t.co/q2TPJ5OKaF

— David De La Allen (@davidthewhiter1) July 5, 2018

Yoka is a two-time Olympic boxer, winning the gold medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics as a super heavyweight, defeating current Commonwealth champion Joe Joyce in the finals.