According to United Kigndom Anti-Doping (UKAD), Mexican flyweight Francisco Rodriguez Jr. has been banned from all World Anti-Doping Code-compliant sports competitions for two years, following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the presence and use of prohibited substances.  On June 21, 2025, UKAD collected a urine sample from Rodriguez, after his bout against Galal Yafai in Birmingham, England. Analysis of the sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAFs) for the prohibited substances octodrine and its metabolite, heptaminol, in addition to an AAF for oxilofrine. Octodrine, heptaminol and oxilofrine are specified substances that are prohibited in-competition only. The problem here is that Rodriguez won the Yafai bout by unanimous decision, making him the WBC interim champion at the time. The WBC has given Yafai the interim title but still ranks Rodriguez as the #1 contender. Rodriguez won another fight in Mexico in October.

 

UKAD notified Rodriguez of his adverse analytical findings and imposed a provisional suspension. Having received no response to the notice, UKAD subsequently charged him with both ADRVs. Still, Rodriguez provided UKAD with no response to the charge, despite multiple efforts to contact the boxer across various channels.  UKAD did not assert that the ADRVs were intentional and imposed a two-year period of Ineligibility. The ban is deemed to have begun on July 30th 2025 (the date of the provisional suspension) and will expire on July 29, 2027