Ryan Garcia banned for one year and fined after positive PED test

Ryan Garcia has been suspended for one year — retroactive to his April 20 win over Devin Haney, which was converted to a no-show — after the boxing star reached a settlement with the New York State Athletic Commission, the commission told ESPN on Thursday after Garcia tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug Ostarine.

Garcia also had to forfeit $1.2 million to his promoter Golden Boy, Haney’s attorney Pat English told ESPN. The commission said it fined Garcia $10,000.

Garcia’s team said in a statement that the boxer did not intentionally take the substance.

“Ryan Garcia was the victim of a substance contamination with a concentration of billions and trillions of grams that did not give him any advantage in the ring,” the statement said. “Ryan and his legal team have resolved this issue and are sticking to the truth: he never intentionally took a banned substance. It is simply not in his nature.”

“I want to thank the commission and the fans who stood by me throughout the process,” Haney, who is back to a 31-0 record, said in a phone interview with ESPN on Thursday. “Facts are facts and I didn’t have an equal opportunity. I’m glad I was able to get justice for what happened. This is all part of my story and will only make me better. I look forward to enjoying this time with my family and friends and seeing what’s next.”

“I am a clean athlete and boxing is a brutal sport where one fight can literally change your life. I think it’s important for fighters to be clean and I want to become an advocate for clean athletes because of my experiences in this situation.”