Claressa Shields says she’s never used weed. Did secondhand smoke cause failed drug test?

The saga of boxer Claressa Shields is unfolding.

She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. A three-time undisputed world champion. But, at 29, the self-proclaimed “GWOAT” (Greatest Woman Of All-Time) is facing a question involving her integrity.

Could Shields have tested positive for marijuana even if she never used the drug?

According to Shields, that’s what happened after her last boxing match, a victory over Danielle Perkins Feb. 2 at Dort Financial Center in her hometown of Flint, Michigan. The drug test results have not been publicly released, but Shields has said a saliva test detected “trace” amounts of marijuana, a prohibited substance in competition for professional fighters in Michigan.

Ten days after dominating Perkins in a fight that improved Shields’ record to 16-0 and elevated her to undisputed heavyweight champion came the gut punch. She was suspended by the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission (MUCC), which regulates boxing in the state, and such discipline generally is upheld by other states.

But she’ll soon get a chance to contest the decision.

On March 6, during a pre-hearing meeting before an assistant attorney general, Shields will request her suspension be revoked, according to her lawyer, David Slutsker. “We will present evidence … and be open to any questioning they have,” Slutsker told USA TODAY Sports. Depending on the outcome, a formal hearing could follow.

For now, Shields faces a 90-day suspension, a possible fine and newly surfaced claims about her possible exposure to the drug.

Other boxers tested positive

Shields was not the only boxer on the Feb. 2 card to test positive for marijuana. Eight of the 16 boxers on that night’s card were drug tested by swab, and three tested positive for marijuana, according to Dmitry Salita, the promoter of the show, and Shields’ attorney, Slutsker.

“That number is highly unusual for a single boxing event, particularly one featuring Claressa and other elite athletes,” Salita said. “Given the circumstances, it’s important to review the testing protocols to ensure consistency and fairness.”

Joe Hicks, a middleweight from Michigan, confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that he tested positive for marijuana. Salita said the other boxer who tested positive for marijuana was Skylar Lacy, a heavyweight from Indiana, who did not respond to USA TODAY Sports’ requests for comment left by voicemail, text message and social media.

Hicks, who is 12-0 as a pro boxer, said he worried about potential consequences because he works for an insurance company where “you can lose your job for taking any drugs without a prescription.

“When they called, I was, like, wow,” he said of learning of the results. “I don’t take drugs.”

Adding he was also surprised to hear Shields tested positive, Hicks speculated that marijuana smoke inside the Dort Financial Center in Flint triggered the positive tests.

“Oh man, it was everywhere,” he said. “I’m not exaggerating. … I was getting dressed to take pictures with my family; it was like a big cloud of weed. When you go in the bathroom, it’s just a big cloud of smoke that hits you. You smell nothing but marijuana.”

Marijuana is legal in Michigan but banned at Dort Financial Center. However, Salita and Shields’ manager, Mark Taffet, said the smell was noticeable.

“The hallways smelled horrible,” Taffet said. “… Like where (Shields) took the post-fight (drug) test, that sort of ring of hallway around the building, that smelled terrible.”

Jeremy Torrey, general manager of the Dort Financial Center, declined to comment to USA TODAY Sports.

Secondhand smoke a risk?

Whether secondhand smoke can cause a non-smoker to test positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana that produces a psychoactive effect, depends on the exposure conditions, according to a 2015 study published in Journal of Analytical Toxicology.

The study, which focused on “extreme cannabis smoke exposure conditions tolerable to drug-free nonsmokers,” reported, “Positive tests for THC in oral fluid and blood were obtained for nonsmokers up to (three hours) following exposure.”

But the study also concluded, “positive tests are likely to be rare, limited to the hours immediately post-exposure, and occur only under environmental circumstances where exposure is obvious.”

A 2004 study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology reported, “Passive exposure to cannabis smoke in an unventilated room has been shown to produce a transient appearance of THC in oral fluid for up to 30 (minutes). However, it is well known that such factors as room size and extent of smoke exposure can affect results.”

Salita, the promoter, said, “The amount detected was negligible and consistent with potential secondhand exposure rather than personal use.”

Shields had said the saliva test showed “trace” levels of marijuana in her system, but she has not publicly released the test results.

What Shields may challenge

Victor Conte, who describes himself as a “dietary supplement and training adviser” for Shields, said the boxer told him she had concerns about how her saliva test was administered after her fight Feb. 2.