‘I didn’t think I’d live another day’ – Conor Benn claims failed drug test led to suicide and claims innocence in emotional interview with Piers Morgan
Conor Benn has revealed that his two failed drug tests made him suicidal, saying he takes the substance every day.
The son of former world champion boxer Nigel Benn twice tested positive for the banned substance clomiphene in VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) drug tests last year.
This led to the BBBofC (British Boxing Board of Control) banning him from his planned fight against Chris Eubank Jr. in October.
There were two separate investigations into the testing – one by the WBC sanctioning body and the other by the BBBofC/UKAD (UK Anti-Doping Agency).
Benn’s representatives cooperated with the WBC investigation by submitting a 270-page document that sought to prove his innocence. The BBBofC/UKAD investigation has not seen this document.
The WBC announced last week that it would reinstate Benn to the welterweight world rankings and not penalize him.
It ruled there was no “substantial evidence” that Benn had taken clomiphene intentionally or unintentionally and that his “extremely high egg consumption” was a “plausible explanation” for the positive tests.
The BBBofC and UKAD investigation is still pending and Benn is still unlicensed.
In a lengthy statement, Benn criticized the testing procedures and said the banned substance was never in his system.
In an interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV, Benn spoke about the impact of the incident on him and his mental health.
Benn said: “It hurt me… I didn’t think I was going to make it. I didn’t think I would make it.
“For something I didn’t do. It’s hard because I feel like I’ve been sentenced to death for something I didn’t even do. If I had done something, I am a man, I would have put my hand to it. Anyway, my personal life, I will raise my hand.
“It’s never like that. And after seven years of hard work and sacrifice, I left my family and felt that the image I had held was destroyed by someone else’s incompetence.
“It’s been hard on the family.”
Benn added: “I took it day by day. I didn’t think I would live another day.
Asked if Morgan felt suicidal, the 26-year-old said: “I would say yes…
“It makes me sad now because I don’t know how I got worse. I took it seriously… I am innocent.
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