11 Feb 2013

Doubts over validity of Botha drug tests ahead of SBW fight

6:47 pm on 11 February 2013

An Australian boxing official says they never ordered the South African boxer, Francois Botha, be tested for banned substances and doubts the validity of reports that he's returned a postive before his fight against Sonny Bill Williams.

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting Botha tested positive for a banned substance before his fight in Brisbane on Friday.

The secretary of the Queensland Branch of the Australian National Boxing Federation, Jim Young, says it ordered standard tests for Hepatitis and HIV for Botha.

Young says blood samples were taken by a doctor arranged by Williams' manager, Khoder Nasser.

Young says Nasser then had the samples tested for banned substances, he doubts the tests would have been conducted properly and wouldn't stand up in court.

Meanwhile the sports betting agency the TAB wants written assurances from Sonny Bill Williams' manager before it again offers bets on how many rounds one of his bouts will last.

The agency has refunded about four thousand dollars to punters after the advertised 12 round fight in Queensland suddenly changed to a ten round match.

It's the third time a Williams bout has been cut short.