17/05/2024

UKAD CLEAN SPORT WEEK 13-17 MAY 2024

British Boxing Board of Control announces Clean Sport Ambassadors as part of its commitment to help support UK Anti-Doping’s Clean Sport Week, the national annual awareness-raising campaign for all sports.

BBBoC is pleased to announce the four representatives who will act as Clean Sport Ambassadors as part of its ongoing anti-doping efforts in support of UKAD.

George Groves, Natasha Jonas, Martin Bowers and Josh Wale have signed up to support Clean Sport Week and to boost clean sport awareness in professional boxing across the rest of the year.

Robert Smith, BBBoC General Secretary, said “George, Natasha, Martin and Josh are well known throughout professional boxing having operated at the highest level. We hope that the power of their voices will encourage and inspire more boxers, trainers, and licence holders to fully embrace the principles of clean sport while supporting us to ensure the integrity of boxing is protected, and free from doping behaviours.”

All four have positioned themselves as role models within professional boxing and will endorse UKAD’s clean sport mandate, using their platforms to share their experiences and knowledge of clean sport.

George Groves, a former WBA World Super-Middleweight Champion, is looking forward to taking on his role as an ambassador. He added “I’m one of the new BBBoC Clean Sport Ambassadors . I’m looking forward to taking on this role because I believe our sport should be clean, fair and boxers should be able to enter the ring knowing their opponent is clean.”

Natasha Jonas, current IBF World Welterweight Champion and IBF, WBC and WBO World Super-Welterweight Champion said “All sport should be contested fairly, especially boxing. We are not crossing a line, scoring a goal, try or point, ours is a dangerous sport. As an elite boxer I'm accountable to make sure I compete clean and I want to box against clean opposition. I believe I have a responsibility to help keep my sport free from doping and to raise awareness around the anti-doping values, procedures and framework.”

As a Manager and Trainer operating out of the long established Peacock Gym, Martin Bowers is keen to ensure the next generation of boxers are armed with knowledge on how to compete clean from the moment they are granted a licence. He said, “Clean sport education is vital for those coming into the sport, all licence holders need to be informed so they are able to assess the need, assess the risk and assess the consequences for themselves.”

Josh Wale, former British Bantamweight Champion and now Trainer / Manager is delighted to be appointed as a Clean Sport Ambassador, “Right from when I started as a boxer through to winning the British title and now training boxers coming through, I have always felt very strongly about maintaining a level playing field. Doping robs clean boxers of the spoils of their hard work. I am proud to support the BBBoC’s work to protect the integrity of our sport and will do so at every opportunity.”

Groves, Jonas, Bowers and Wale will produce a series of social media posts across the year promoting the work BBBoC is doing in relation to clean sport and anti-doping, reinforcing and sharing UKAD’s campaigns. and will work alongside UKAD accredited educator, Sue Potts to further enhance their role as an ambassador.

Sue Potts joined the team at BBBoC in November and is delivering Clean Sport Education to all licence holders through gym visits, one to ones and Zoom sessions.

To arrange an education session please email cleanboxing@bbbofc.com