Cathal Dennehy: Doping in boxing and sprinting cases have only complex shades of grey

Given that just 1% of tests turn up positive, the research tells us what we’ve long known: most cheats are getting away with it. Most, but not all.

FIGHT OUTSIDE THE RING: Ryan Garcia (white trunks) faces his biggest fight outside the ring as he tries to clear his name for a doping ban. Pic: Al Bello, Getty Images

Boxing and sprinting have a lot in common. They’re the purest ways of measuring the human response to threat – our ability to fight or take flight. And while mental strength and technical proficiency are important, success in either often hinges on a very simple metric: how much force you can generate.

As such, it’s no surprise both have a long history with doping, given banned substances offer clear benefits in that department. From Muhammad Ali to Tyson Fury, Ben Johnson to Justin Gatlin, the list of champions who’ve failed tests is a long and decorated one.