British Professional Boxer Mitchell Smith serves three-month ban for Anti-Doping Rule Violation
British professional boxer Mitchell Smith has been banned from all World Anti-Doping Code-compliant sport for three months, following an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) for the Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolite or Markers. At the time of this announcement, Mr Smith is free to resume participation in sport.
On 25 October 2025, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) collected a urine Sample from Mr Smith, In-Competition, after his bout against Arnie Dawson at the O2 Arena, London. Analysis of Mr Smith’s Sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for carboxy-THC, a Metabolite of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound found in cannabis.
THC is prohibited In-Competition only. THC is listed as a cannabinoid under S8 of the 2025 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List and is also identified as a Substance of Abuse. Athletes who test positive for a Substance of Abuse may receive a reduced three-month ban, if they can prove that they used the substance Out-Of-Competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance.
UKAD notified Mr Smith of his AAF and imposed a Provisional Suspension. Mr Smith admitted that he had used THC oil and CBD balm and stated that he stopped use of the products eight days before his bout on 25 October 2025.
An independent scientific expert concluded that Mr Smith’s Use of THC most likely took place Out-of-Competition (i.e. before 11:59pm on 24 October 2025).
On 10 February 2026, UKAD formally charged Mr Smith with an ADRV pursuant to to ADR Article 2.1 (Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers) in respect of carboxy-THC, which he admitted, accepting the Consequences asserted by UKAD; namely, the imposition of a period of Ineligibility of three months and the automatic disqualification of the result of his bout against Mr Dawson on 25 October 2025.
Affording Mr Smith credit for the time he spent provisionally suspended, Mr Smith’s ban is deemed to have commenced on 13 December 2025 (the date on which the Provisional Suspension was imposed) and expired on 12 March 2026.