Ex-heavyweight boxing champion Joseph Parker has been cleared of breaking drug rules after proving his adverse test finding was due to his nutritionist taking cocaine. Parker, 34, was found to have traces of the Class A drug in his system on the day of his defeat by Fabio Wardley last October following a test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA). He denied knowingly taking the substance and a UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) investigation has now ruled in his favour, saying the boxer provided enough evidence to back up his argument that his positive test was due to exposure to cocaine taken by his nutritionist. Parker was suspended for three months before that ban was lifted in June when UKAD determined that the ingestion of cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine took place out of competition and was ‘in a context unrelated to sport performance’.The New Zealander is now free to fight again and could compete twice before the end of the year, according to his manager. UKAD said: ‘On 6 March 2026, Mr Parker provided UKAD with evidence claiming that the adverse analytical finding was the result of his exposure to cocaine used by the nutritionist he had employed in preparation for the bout on 25 October 2025. Joseph Parker’s positive test was due to exposure to his nutritionist’s cocaine, UKAD found’The nutritionist stated that he was a regular user of cocaine and had used cocaine daily in the week leading up to the bout.’Parker himself wrote on his social media channels: ‘I’m pleased to confirm my provisional suspension is lifted and I’ll be back in the ring soon.’I’ve been advised to say no more for now while details are finalised. Thank you to all my supporters.’Parker has been a regular at the top of the heavyweight division over the last decade, winning the WBO world title in 2016 before losing it against Anthony Joshua two years later in Cardiff. He will be looking to improve his record of 36 wins and four defeats and his manager, David Higgins, believes the best is yet to come, saying Parker is ‘relieved and excited’ by the outcome of the investigation. He told Sky Sports: ‘Joseph is champing at the bit to get back into the ring. He was up early to go for a run this morning. ‘He feels like he is at the peak of his powers and they say a heavyweight only reaches his prime in his thirties. Joseph is only 34 and if you look at the names on his resume, you could call him a veteran but he’s still relatively young.’Joseph has said to me that he would love to fight this year. It could be a tune-up, then a big fight at the end of the year or it could be a big fight at the end of the year.