The WBC has announced sweeping changes to its Clean Boxing Program, aiming to eliminate the long-standing “contamination” defense frequently used by fighters who fail performance-enhancing drug tests. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed that the new protocols will take effect on February 1, 2026, bringing a stricter framework to a system widely criticized for allowing athletes to avoid meaningful consequences.

The issue has been thrust back into the spotlight following Subriel Matias’ recent ostarine positive, which the WBC allowed him to explain as likely contamination. Similar controversies have emerged in the past with high-profile names, from Canelo Alvarez in 2018 to more recent cases involving fighters who blamed herbal teas, protein powders, or mislabeled supplements.

Under the revised program, every boxer enrolled in the Clean Boxing Program (a requirement for anyone ranked in the WBC top 15) will receive an official list of supplements and products identified as high-risk for contamination. According to Sulaiman, once fighters are notified, they will no longer be able to claim ignorance if they test positive for a banned substance contained in any of the flagged items.

“They will no longer be able to claim that they did not know,” Sulaiman said. “Today they claim, and rightfully so, that they didn’t know. But now they know this is a potential risk… It will be much stricter.”

Currently, fighters disclose their supplement use on forms completed during testing, and adverse findings often lead to investigations that ultimately excuse the athlete based on contaminated products. The WBC argues that its new system will remove ambiguity by clearly identifying substances known to cause issues, strengthening the case against fighters who continue to use them.

Sulaiman acknowledged that doping science continually evolves and new supplements will inevitably surface, but said the WBC will update its guidelines as needed. Calling the Clean Boxing Program “perhaps a little dated” after eight years, he described the reforms as a “significant improvement” designed to tighten accountability and curb excuses.

Image Credit: Sky Sports