TEAM GB boxer Muhammad Ali is facing a long ban after testing positive for a steroid in April, the sport’s international federation AIBA has confirmed.

The positive test came during a World Series of Boxing match between the British Lionhearts and Morocco Atlas Lions in Casablanca and he has been provisionally suspended since May.

A silver medallist at the 2014 World Youth Championships and 2016 European Championships, Ali lost in the first round of the flyweight competition at the Rio Olympics last year.

Muhammad Ali represented Great Britain in Rio
Muhammad Ali represented Great Britain in Rio (Rui Vieira/PA)

The 21-year-old Yorkshireman is highly rated by GB Boxing and is currently the top-ranked fighter in his World Series of Boxing division.

In a statement on the AIBA website, the international federation announced his provisional suspension and said it would not make any further comment until an AIBA anti-doping panel has heard Ali’s case. No date has been set for that yet.

It is understood that Ali asked for his B sample, which is used to confirm an initial finding, to be tested and that also came back positive for trace amounts of the steroid.

In a statement released to Press Association Sport, GB Boxing said it can confirm a member of its squad has tested positive for a banned substance and the boxer has been suspended from the programme and all competition pending the outcome of the process.

It added: “This is the first time that a member of the GB Boxing squad has tested positive for a banned substance.

“GB Boxing is committed to clean sport and we work in partnership with UK Anti-Doping and our international federation to provide extensive education and support to our boxers on anti-doping rules, the anti-doping obligations upon them as athletes and the importance of adhering to the principles of clean sport.”