Amir Khan insists he is innocent after receiving a two-year sports ban for an anti-doping violation.

UK anti-doping (UKAD) announced the ban on Monday, having informed Khan in April 2022 that tests carried out following his defeat to Kell Brook returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for ostarine.

Khan accepted the charges, though claimed his ingestion of ostarine was unintentional, and his case was heard by an independent panel in January and February.

While Khan's statement that digestion was not intentional was accepted by the panel, they deemed he must serve a two-year ban and his result against Brook was disqualified.

The former Olympic medal winner continues to protest his innocence, while questioning why a ban is needed considering he has already hung up his gloves.

"I've never cheated. I'm a retired fighter and, at the same time, you can see by my performance against Kell Brook, it wasn't the best, I lost the fight," he told Sky Sports.

"If I went in and knocked him out, it's different. I've never cheated in my life, I'm the one who wanted the testing on the fight, and the amount that was in my system could have been from shaking people's hands.

"I don't know what drug was in my system.

"I've never cheated in my life. I'm a retired fighter anyway, so it's quite strange and funny that they've banned me for two years, I'm already retired anyway.

"I've got no comeback plans. I've never cheated and I never will, it's not something I would do."

Khan's ban commenced on April 6, 2022 and will expire on April 5, 2024.

Amir Khan has been banned from sport for two years following a positive test for a prohibited substance after his fight with Kell Brook.

Olympic medallist Khan was defeated by Brook in the sixth round at Manchester Arena last February.

Khan subsequently retired in May, at the age of 35. He became one of the youngest champions in British boxing history when he won the WBA title aged 22, five years on from claiming silver at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

However, on April 6 of last year, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) notified Khan that the tests carried out following his loss to Brook returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for ostarine, a substance that is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

In July, Khan was charged with two offences: the presence of a prohibited substance and the use of a prohibited substance. 

Though Khan accepted the charges, he claimed his ingestion of ostarine had been unintentional, with his case referred to an independent panel.

That panel heard Khan's case in January and in February deemed that while the fighter had not intentionally ingested the substance, he must serve a two-year ban, as well as disqualifying his result against Brook.

Khan's ban commenced on April 6, 2022 and will expire on April 5 next year.

"This case serves as a reminder that UKAD will diligently pursue anti-doping rule violations in order to protect clean sport," said UKAD chief executive Jane Rumble.

"Strict liability means athletes are ultimately responsible for what they ingest and for the presence of any prohibited substances in a sample.

"It is important that all athletes and their support personnel, whatever level they are competing at, take their anti-doping responsibilities seriously. Not doing so risks damaging not only an Athlete's career, but also undermining public confidence in clean sport."