According to Lance Pugmire of the LA Times, lineal middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez has received a 6-month suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for testing positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol on two different occasions. Although first-time offenders usually get a 1-year suspension, Canelo's cooperation and admission of guilt prompted the commissioners to reduce the sentence to 6 months.
The suspension has a retroactive start date of February 17, the date of Alvarez's first positive test, so he'll be free to reschedule his anticipated rematch with Gennady Golovkin for Mexixcan Independence weekend in September. Golden Boy Promotions issued the following statement in response to the suspension:
STATEMENT FROM GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS
LOS ANGELES (April 18, 2018) - Golden Boy Promotions has issued the following statement in response to Canelo Alvarez's settlement agreement with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
"As we have maintained all along, the trace amounts of clenbuterol found in Canelo's system in February came from meat contamination, and we provided the Nevada State Athletic Commission with a great deal of evidence to support those facts.
Although most professional sports, international anti-doping agencies and United States boxing commissions treat meat contamination differently from other positive tests, Nevada does not. Canelo and Golden Boy Promotions respect the rules of Nevada and are therefore satisfied with the settlement agreement reached today.
"Canelo looks forward to returning to the ring in September for Mexican Independence Day weekend to represent Mexico and boxing in what will be the sport's biggest event of the year. He is ready to continue his remarkable record of fighting at the highest level."