British boxer Conor Benn has returned to the WBC world rankings, but remains unable to fight in Britain ©Getty Images

The World Boxing Council (WBC) has ruled that Britain's Conor Benn can return to its rankings after it deemed his "highly-elevated consumption of eggs" was a "reasonable explanation" for a positive doping test.

Benn's proposed fight against compatriot Chris Eubank Jr in London in October was cancelled after the 26-year-old failed two voluntary drugs test for the female fertility drug clomiphene and its hydroxymetabolites MI and M2.

The WBC's statement references only the adverse finding from a sample collected on July 25 last year, and not the second failed test in September.

It rejected Benn's defence against the adverse finding which alleged "potential laboratory analysis failures and irregularities in connection with the analysis of his samples and of the results of the samples’ testing", insisting it had consulted "several experts in anti-doping laboratory analysis".

Conor Benn's fight against fellow Briton Chris Eubank Jr in October was cancelled because of the positive drugs tests for clomiphene ©Getty Images
Conor Benn's fight against fellow Briton Chris Eubank Jr in October was cancelled because of the positive drugs tests for clomiphene ©Getty Images

It also reaffirmed the "unquestionable integrity" of its Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA).

VADA administers the WBC's anti-doping programme, for which enrolment is mandatory for the world champion and top 15 male fighters and top five female athletes in each division.

in the case of Benn, the son of former world champion Nigel Benn, the WBC found "there was no conclusive evidence that Mr Benn engaged in intentional or knowing ingestion of clomiphene".

His adverse finding for clomiphene was blamed on "documented and highly-elevated consumption of eggs during the times relevant to the sample collection".

This followed a WBC Results Management Unit inquiry session with Benn and members of his legal team on January 26, and a detailed breakdown of the boxer's diet and supplement consumption being provided earlier this month.

Clomiphene is known to elevate testosterone levels in men.

The WBC plans to address concerns about clomiphene as a food contaminant and the "potential of false positives caused by ingestion of contaminated food" with the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The highly publicised fight between Conor Benn, right, and Chris Eubank Jnr, left, was called off at the last minute following the failed drugs test ©Getty Images
The highly publicised fight between Conor Benn, right, and Chris Eubank Jnr, left, was called off at the last minute following the failed drugs test ©Getty Images

Benn's team is set to work with the WBC Nutrition Committee to work on a nutrition programme, and the 26-year-old is expected to undergo regular testing to monitor its effect.

The British Board of Boxing Control (BBBoC) said it was aware of the findings, but insisted the WBC is a "sanctioning body and not a governing body" and the ruling "does not affect the ongoing implementation of the BBBoC's rules" as well as those of UK Anti-Doping (UKAD).

Benn had his licence revoked by the BBBoC in October, meaning he is unable to compete in the UK, although he could compete in another country under a different jurisdiction.

Benn remains under investigation by the BBBoC and UKAD.