In the aftermath of Alycia Baumgardner testing positive for two banned substances, Christina Linardatou, who lost a decision to Baumgardner last month, says the undisputed 130-pound champion should be suspended and stripped of her titles.
“All of them should be taken away,” says Linardatou. “And I should have another chance to fight for the belts.”
On Wednesday, Baumgardner issued a statement saying she had been informed that a urine sample taken July 12—three days before her fight with Linardatou, a test administered by Drug Free Sport—had come up positive for mesterolone and methenolone acetate metabolites. Mesterolone is a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid and derivative of dihydrotestosterone, according to the National Institutes of Health. Methenolone is a synthetic steroid that has been used for its anabolic action, per the NIH website.
Samples collected June 16 and July 15 both came back negative.
Baumgardner, 29, who had never tested positive for a banned substance before this, claimed the negative results make a positive finding “essentially impossible.”
“To be abundantly clear, I know that I never have, never would and never will take this or any other drug,” said Baumgardner. “Not only would doing so be unethical, but it would also be completely contrary to how I’ve trained my entire career. As a professional athlete, I and I alone am responsible for what I put in my body, and my body is a temple. I am also a proud role model for any young woman or girl who seeks to follow in my footsteps. I take those responsibilities very seriously, which is why I know that I did not and would never put these substances in my body.”
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Linardatou called Baumgardner a “liar and a cheater.”
Courtesy Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing
In 2018, Linardatou earned a split-decision victory over Baumgardner. Linardatou says the fighter she faced last month was completely different. “She was stronger and more powerful,” says Linardatou. “I felt it. It felt different.” Linardatou, 35, a two-time world champion who was fighting for just the second time since giving birth to her son, Apollo, says the positive test result was more frustrating because the fight with Baumgardner was perhaps her last chance to win a word title.
“I should have my second chance again [to] fight again for the belts,” says Linardatou. “It was really difficult to come back and fight again at this level. And I gave it my all. I should get my chance again.”
Linardatou’s manager, Brian Cohen, says the punishment for anyone taking performance-enhancing substances should be severe.
“She endangered [Linardatou’s] life,” says Cohen. “She endangered a new mother’s life by taking performance-enhancement [substances]. Do I think she did? Hell yeah, I think she did. I was there the first fight. She’s more muscular. She was stronger and she had a lot more endurance. And it depresses me because Christina is a single mother. Now this girl deprived Christina of making more money.”
Linardatou’s promoter, Lou DiBella, says he will push for Linardatou to get another shot at the 130-pound titles.
“My take on this is science doesn’t lie,” says DiBella. “There’s an A and a B sample and if it’s in her blood, it’s in her blood. And it doesn’t even matter if she took something unknowingly. She took something. I don’t have to get into what her moral compass says. Honestly, either it’s in your blood or it’s not in your blood and it’s a dangerous substance and it gives an advantage that’s unsafe. It was in her blood. She should be suspended. The belts should be vacated.”
Baumgardner has pledged to be transparent as she works “to ensure my reputation as a clean athlete remains fully intact.” Linardatou says with the evidence that is out there Baumgardner’s denials mean little.
“I think that is not true,” says Linardatou. “But O.K., everything is on her until she proves something different.”
