Claressa Shields vows to be vindicated after positive marijuana test and WBO investigation
Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission: "Ms Claressa Shields' conduct as a licensed professional boxer constitutes an imminent threat to the integrity of professional boxing, the public interest, and the welfare and safety of professional athletes"; WBO has asked Shields to explain herself
Friday 21 February 2025 16:59, UK
Claressa Shields' promoter Dmitriy Salita has said they are "100 per cent confident" the boxer will be "vindicated once evidence is heard" after she tested positive for marijuana.
Thursday brought news that Shields had been suspended by the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission and was under investigation.
The 29-year-old three-weight world champion returned a positive "oral fluid sample" for the banned substance after her win over Danielle Perkins on February 3 in Michigan.
Marijuana is banned in-competition by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Shields responded to the suspension, writing on X: "It's a temporary suspension til I go to trial for the very petite amount. I've never smoked weed."
A statement from Shields' promoter Salita released on Friday read: "This is a pending matter with the Michigan Commission and, as such, I cannot share much more. However, we are 100 per cent confident Claressa Shields will be vindicated when this matter concludes, and all the evidence is heard.
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"One thing I can say with confidence, Claressa Shields did not and does not ingest illicit drugs of any kind including marijuana. And there is nothing in this instance that will tarnish her still growing legacy."
"Claressa Shields has built her career on hard work, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to clean competition. She stands by her record, her historic achievements, and her integrity as a world champion.
"She has been an inspiration to countless men and women throughout the United States and throughout the world since she was a teenage Olympian."
The WBO, which is a sanctioning body and does not have the power to suspend boxers, has requested a "show notice" from Shields, asking her to explain herself, while the Michigan Commission has opened its own investigation into whether she should face disciplinary action.
"Ms Shields' conduct as a licensed professional boxer constitutes an imminent threat to the integrity of professional boxing, the public interest, and the welfare and safety of professional athletes," the Michigan Commission said.
Last week, Shields addressed rumours of a failed drugs test on social media, saying she was a "clean athlete".
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