From Romario’s ‘baldness cure’ to LaShawn Michael’s penis enlargement product: Sport’s stars varied excuses for failing drug tests
Boxer Canelo Alvarez has provided a positive sample ahead of his May 5 rematch against Gennady Golovkin
CANELO ALVAREZ has blamed contaminated meat as the reason behind him failing a drugs test - and it's not the first time a sports star has had to provide an excuse.
The Mexican boxer insists his fight against Gennady Golovkin will go ahead on May 5 despite testing positive for Clenbuterol.
The man himself has described it as an "embarrassing situation" and said he will move camps from Mexico to the US and undergo any tests the sport wishes.
Here, SunSport takes a look at some of the strangest excuses given by sport stars as to why they have failed
Tyson Fury, boxing - wild boar
The 'Gypsy King' failed a drugs test in 2015 - but claimed it was as a result of eating wild boar.
Tyson, along with his cousin and fellow boxer Hughie, failed the tests back in 2015, but claimed it was due to contaminated meat.
The two say as part of their training routine, they ate a whole boar every week, organs and all.
It is the liver of the animal that the Fury's believe led to them being found with traces of steroids. The animals are fed supplements to enhance their growth.
Romario, footballer - anti-baldness treatment
After a long and distinguished career, Romario, then aged 41, failed a drugs test while winding down his career with Brazilian side Vasco da Gama.
Romario admitted to using the drug finasteride, which is found in the anti-baldness drug Propecia.
This is banned by the World Anti-Doping Code because it can mask the use of anabolic steroids.
But after scoring 1,000 goals in his career, it seemed strange that Romario would choose to illegally improve his performance in the twilight of his career.
He successfully appealed the 120-day ban handed out to him.
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Marco Borriello, footballer - swallowed an STD ointment
Back in 2007, Italian striker Marco Borriello failed a drugs test, with two banned substances discovered in a B sample provided to Italian authorities.
His excuses for the positive test - of course it was because he swallowed/used some ointment used to treat an STD.
He was slapped with a three month ban nonetheless.
THE BEST OF THE REST
Richard Gasquet, tennis, 2009 - tested positive for cocaine, claimed it was because he KISSED a woman
Paul Edwards, shot put, 1998 - tested positive for steroids, claimed he drank a bottle of shampoo
Petr Korda, tennis, 1998 - said positive steroid test was due to eating too much veal
Dieter Baumann, long-distance runner, 1999 - claimed somebody injected his toothpaste with performance enhancing drugs
Dennis Mitchell, sprinter, 1998 - said he had sex four times with his wife the night before and drank five beers which led to his elevated testosterone
Alain Baxter, skier - Vicks inhaler
Alain Baxter became the first Briton to win an Olympic skiing medal with bronze at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
But it was then ripped from around his neck.
It was discovered the Scot had failed a drugs test after the medal ceremony, and he was disqualified.
Baxter insisted the failure was due to buying a Vicks inhaler he bought in the US. It led to a banned substance being discovered in his urine.
Despite several appeals, he never managed to get that medal back, although was allowed to return to competition.
Javier Sotomayor, high jumper - spiked with cocaine
The athlete even had the support of the Cuban president on this one.
Sotomayor had just competed at the 1999 Pan American Games when he failed a drugs test, with cocaine found in his sample.
But in a televised broadcast, then Cuban president Fidel Castro incredibly claimed that he was "set up" by the Cuban-American mafia.
He was originally barred from competing at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, but the two-year ban was cut to one.
But roll on 2001 and he failed another drugs test, this time for the performance enhancing nandrolone.
Daniel Plaza, race-walker - oral sex
Another case of nandrolone here, but the reasons given by the Spanish 20km race-walker were off the scale.
In 1996 Daniel Plaza claimed that having oral sex with his pregnant wife was the reason for a positive steroid test.
The steroid is produced naturally by women - but the IAAF still issued a two-year ban. This was then overturned.
Shane Warne, cricketer - fluid tablet
The Aussie cricketer clearly prides himself on his appearance.
And vanity was his excuses as to why he failed a regulation drugs test back in 2003.
It led to Warne being sent home from the World Cup, held in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Kenya, but he claims the positive sample was due to fluid tablets.
He said that he was given the tablets from his mum because his face was 'looking puffy'.
It didn't wash with Aussie authorities and he was banned from playing for a year.
LaShawn Merritt, athlete, penis enlargement
It was revealed in 2010 that world and Olympic 400m champ LaShawn Merritt had failed three separate drugs tests.
And Merritt readily admitted it was for 'improvement' - but not related to his athletic prowess.
The American sprinter said he had been using a penis enlargement product that contained DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) and pregnenolone.
In the aftermath of being caught, the sprinter described his actions as "foolish and immature" and that it was an "egotistical mistake".
He was banned for a total of 21 months, but was allowed to defend his Olympic title at London 2012.
Sadly for him, his dreams were dashed as he limped out of the 400m heats.
