By Vadim Pushkin

Andrey Ryabinsky, who promotes Olympic gold medal winner and former WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin, admits the entire situation with his fighter looks really bad on the outside.

n Saturday, Povetkin knocked out France's Johann Duhaupas in six rounds in Russia. Povetkin was originally scheduled to meet Bermane Stiverne for the interim WBC heavyweight title but Stiverne withdrew after Povetkin's A-sample, from a December 6th drug test, returned positive for Ostarine, a banned substance. The test result came back only hours before the event was planned to start.



Ostarine is a SARM substance, which athletes use during training. It builds up endurance, like anabolic steroids. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) put SARM substances on its prohibited items list in 2008.

For Povetkin, it was the second time that he tested positive for a banned substance in the last seven months.

Back in May, a planned fight with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder was canceled when Povetkin tested positive for a banned substance a few days before the fight.

Regarding the fight with Stiverne, Povetkin had passed four VADA tests before the fifth test came up positive.

With Povetkin's failing two tests this year, and all of the ongoing controversy with Russian athletes taking performance enhancing drugs, Ryabinsky realizes the situation looks very bad.

At 37-year-old, a two-year suspension for doping could end the Russian fighter's career, admits Ryabinsky. The WBC is investigating Povetkin and plan to make a full ruling on his future in early 2017.

"If the team is guilty, they will be punished. To get a two year ban for ostarin - to a 37-year-old boxer - that's a serious blow. But the situation is dire. The whole problem with the meldonium [which Povetkin tested positive for in May], it was proven that Povetkin was not guilty - but that whole situation cast a shadow on him. And then there's a global story with accusations against Russia [over their athletes doping]," Ryabinsky said.

"I just hope that common sense is used and there is a detailed examination. To take ostarin, while you're under the microscope of the entire world - is the same as stealing something on the Red Square and then raising it up in the air and shouting 'I stole something.' It's complete nonsense."