By Chris Williamson
Moscow, Russia -- Boxingscene.com was invited to an exclusive face-to-face interview with the head of Russia based “World of Boxing” promotional company Andrey Ryabinskiy as he clarified the latest situation with regard to the postponed WBC heavyweight title clash mandated between American champion Deontay Wilder and Russian contender Alexander Povetkin.
Mr Ryabinskiy's promotional company represents Povetkin and holds the rights to the clash after winning the purse bid with $7.15m offered. Under recent rule changes to WBC purse bids, the winner earns 10% of the bid with the remaining 90% being split 70/30 in the champions favour.
The bout was scheduled to top the bill in the Russian capital on Saturday 21st May at the “Megasport” Khodynka Ice Palace only to be postponed one week before the clash following test results by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), the body appointed by the WBC administer doping tests.
Mr Ryabinskiy was clear at the beginning of our interview that no question is out of bounds and is confident that the views he expresses on the matter of Povetkin's test results will be found to be “The truth”.
“Since there has been much misreporting in the media, with words such as ‘called off’ and ‘doping’ used by the Wilder team, it is very important to be clear on the facts as of right now,” said Ryabinskiy.
“The fight is postponed and not cancelled. This is the word WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has used and it is the word quoted on the WBC's own website.”
The WBC has allowed Wilder one voluntary defence while the investigation is ongoing, something Mr Ryabinskiy described as: “Satisfactory, because it keeps Wilder active and not giving him the chance to conduct a voluntary defence would be unfair.
“Let me explain. Povetkin’s body was found to contain traces of meldonium. The precise amount was 0.07 of a microgram. World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) quotes a legal limit of 1.00 microgram. So the amount found in Sacha's (Povetkin) body is 15 times less."”
Povetkin's B sample has also tested positive for Melonium, something Mr Ryabinskiy saysis not a surprise, since “(World of Boxing's) point is that the amount is extremely low.”
He added: “It is important to note, people must not simply ‘interpret’ (what is in fact) strict legal language. I urge you to verify on the WADA.com website exactly what the WADA interpretations and explanations are (in relation to meldonium).
“Under WADA explanations, there are precisely two cases which can occur with such doses. One, if a dose is below one microgram and the sample is taken prior to March 1, the athlete is rehabilitated immediately.”
I asked Mr Ryabinskiy to clarify what he means by rehabilitated, to which he replied: “This means that the athlete is not suspended from competing and may continue his or her sporting career"
“Two”, he continued, “if a test is taken after March 1 and the dose is below one microgram, then the athlete is tested additionally and at this point is not found guilty.”
Mr Ryabinskiy is specific in using the term “sporting organisation” because he stressed that Povetkin's case and legal basis is much wider than boxing. In this case “sporting organisation” refers to the World Boxing Council (WBC), says Ryabinskiy.
“There are now two options under this case: one, postpone and conduct an investigation or two, the event (goes ahead) and permit the athlete to perform. If the athlete wins and the results of the investigation show that he/she as doping and according to the investigation it is a (guilty) result, then he or she is deprived of all titles won in such competition,” he explained.
“The WBC proposed to use exactly option one, has postponed the fight and has (ordered) additional investigation. At the end of the investigation, the fight should take place.” Ryabinskiy.
“But what then of the positive urine sample on April 27?” I asked.
“Sasha (Povetkin), as with many Russian athletes, when meldonium was permitted, he took it. He stopped taking the substance in September when everyone was notified that meldonium will be banned from January 1.
“These (0.07 mg) are traces in the body, which (are) like the example (of) world champion swimmer Yuliya Efimova. Well, in her case the meldonium came up on her tests, then a week later it didn't, then it did and then ten days later, nothing.”
I asked for clarification on the latest status of Efimova, to which he says: “According to the press articles, Efimova is allowed to compete.”
And what of the substance meldonium itself? “Meldonium is very badly researched. Right now, nobody knows how long it takes to excrete from the body. WADA is right now researching exactly this matter and in connection with this a key number of athletes are now being rehabilitated.”
I questioned whether he is using the term rehabilitated in the same context as earlier, meaning competing with no loss of status? “Yes, this means permission to compete in all the competitions without losing the status. For those, who are already permitted to compete, all allegations against them will be lifted,” was his response.
“The second feature of meldonium is that on some tests it may come up and on some it does not. As a theory, it depends on the level of mental and physical load on the athlete.”
Ryabinskiy praised Boxingscene.com while expressing disappointment at what he colourfully describes as “The yellow (disreputable) press”.
He said: “If we are to talk in the language of the yellow press then we (the media and parties involved) must be smarter and ensure we properly report and represent the details of this case. So (as of) today, nobody can say Povetkin is guilty. I'm sure as a result of the research (now being carried out) that Povetkin will have no questions against him.”
“Moreover, once we have dealt with this matter we (World of Boxing) will compete completely in a Clean Boxing program so that (for example) Povetkin can give clean samples for the entire year (in and out of training camp). We will confirm and underline that Sasha is clean.
“The 0.07mg represents traces from last year (when the substance was legal) and we will prove it. We (World of Boxing) are absolutely for clean sport and surely fight against doping in sports, WBC and we completely support a Clean Boxing program.
“We will show all the details. We will also refer to the very best in specialist (expert) documentation and discuss the topic in legally correct terms.”
On Ryabinskiy's interpretation of the specific differences between the WADA and VADA agencies he says: “[t]he principle for testing and attitude towards substances is generally the same—we agreed to use VADA as the WBC asked us to and because we are clean we agreed.”
As for the general level of reporting of the story, it is clear Ryabinskiy is upset, saying: “I urge people not to listen to unjustified and unproven accusations, even if they are being said by a fighter or his team that you love and root for.
“You (Boxingscene.com) are the first publication out in the West to ask us for our opinion. I am rather taken aback and it feels a little strange actually for us as a large number of organisations wrote Wilder's position as final without asking us.”
As we wound down, Ryabinskiy smiled briefly before returning to what he sees as biased and one sided Western reporting. “On the other (Wilder) side you can find numerous publications in the West,” he said. “You will be the first publication to go out with our position.”
My final question is about the position of Wilder's team, to which a candid and passionate Ryabinskiy stated: “We absolutely respect Wilder's team and want this incident to be correctly and fairly exhausted (researched and judged) and for the fight which fans around the world are looking forward to, to go ahead.”
Update: Ryabinskiy Tweeted the following earlier today: ‘Alexander Povetkin's new sample clear. We are waiting for our opponents and some journalists to apologize... Or pay for their words.’
