Frank Warren backs Lucas Browne, questions legitimacy of testing

 
FRANK Warren isn’t convinced that WBA heavyweight champion Lucas Browne is a substance abuser.

 
The 64-year-old Englishman, who has promoted some of Britain’s best talent in the last twenty five years, believes a thorough investigation needs to be opened by the WBA to determine whether or not Browne is guilty.

 
“I have no idea if the new WBA heavyweight champion Lucas Browne is a drugs cheat,” said Warren.

 
“But I believe he should be given every opportunity to prove that he isn’t.”

 
“Why on earth would a heavyweight boxer take the banned substance clenbuterol, which my medical friends tell me is principally a diuretic? Surely the last thing any heavyweight wants to do before a fight is lose weight.”

 
“Some athletes have used it as a stimulant – but it is easily detectable – so why would Browne have personally insisted that the proper VADA procedures should be strictly followed if he was up to anything dodgy?”

 
Despite having no promotional ties or affiliation to Browne, Warren vehemently defended the Australian.

 
Warren cites Russia’s felonious past as one of many reasons why the positive test seems illegitimate.

 
“As we know only too well from recent revelations, Russia is mired in drug doping skullduggery,” he added. “They are past masters in the dark art of drugs use. You don’t need Lord Coe to tell you that, or Maria Sharapova.”

 
“Who knows what went on in Chechnya? Which is a Russian republic, when the tests were performed.”

 
As far as Warren is concerned, he believes that Browne and his team had no reason to tempt fate.

 
“Browne says he and his team were well aware of the risks in going into a relatively lawless place like Grozny to fight a reigning champion from Eastern Europe and took every precaution.” Warren continued.

 
“So is it possible his food or drink was spiked?”

 
“According to Browne that is the only plausible explanation but it will be hard to prove. I do tend to have some sympathy with Browne when he insists that he is not a drugs cheat and is a staunch opponent of drugs use.”

 
“He surely had too much to lose knowing he was on dangerous territory anyway in Chechyna.”

 
“We await the result of the testing of his ‘B’ sample,” he concluded. “But if this is positive, he will have a far tougher fight on his hands than he did against Chagaev.”

 
 
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