KEIGHLEY boxer Muhammad Ali has been given a two-year ban after testing positive for the anabolic steroid Trenbolone.

The Olympic flyweight, who is a former Bradford College student, failed a drugs test during the World Series of Boxing (WSB) in Morocco in April last year and was suspended in May, which means he will be eligible to compete again in May 2019.

Now it has been reported that the 21-year-old has reached a "settlement agreement" with the International Boxing Association (AIBA).

Trenbolone, which supports muscle growth, is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list.

Ali, who lost in the first round of the 2016 Rio Olympics, won silver at the 2014 World Youth Championships and 2016 European Championships.

The 21-year-old has stated his desire to fight for a place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he had been considered a medal prospect.

Ali was the highest-ranked fighter in his WSB division at the time of his positive.

In a statement, AIBA said it "welcomes and fully supports the anti-doping testing procedure" at its competitions and is working with the World Anti-Doping Agency "to ensure that boxing is doping-free".

Ali, who has strongly protested his innocence of any intentional wrongdoing, is the first member of the GB Boxing squad to fail a drugs test for a banned substance.

A spokesperson for GB Boxing said: "We have noted the conclusion of AIBA's findings on this issue and that it is of the opinion that the athlete did not take the prohibited substances with the intention to cheat.

"GB Boxing is committed to clean sport and we work 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."

Ali is reported to believe the ban is "extreme". Speaking to BBC sports editor Dan Roan, Ali said: "I was trying to make 52kg and I wouldn't want to put muscle on. I was literally trying to cut weight. It doesn't make sense."