Yoka, who turned professional after winning the gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, has not been banned from competition despite the four no-shows between July 2016 and July 2017.

French newspaper L'Equipe reported that the anti-doping commission of the French Boxing Federation (FFB) instead handed down a suspended ban to the 25-year-old, which will be triggered if he commits another violation.

The sanction could yet be increased if the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) decides to appeal the decision of the FFB.

"If the athlete commits three breaches of any kind during a period of 12 consecutive months, the AFLD shall forward to the competent Federation a statement of offense causing the person concerned to be suspended for a period of between one year (two years, if found to be doping)," AFLD regulations state.

There is no suggestion Yoka is guilty of doping.

But the news is likely to cause controversy, particularly as Yoka is scheduled to fight former French heavyweight champion Cyril Leonet in Paris next month.

Yoka's lawyer Arnaud Pericard claimed there was a reasonable explanation for all four missed tests.

The first, Pericard said, was because Yoka was on a flight to the United States, while the second was because the boxer was unaware that he was still "subject to geolocation requirements" during a "period of relaxation".

The last two came when drugs testers turned up to Yoka's home in France and he was in the US, Pericard claimed.

Yoka is a sparring partner for New Zealand's Joseph Parker, who is scheduled to defend his world heavyweight title against Britain's Anthony Joshua in Cardiff on March 31.

The Frenchman, a world champion in 2015, beat Joshua's compatriot Joe Joyce in the super heavyweight final at Rio 2016.