Lack of drug testing worries WADA
Source: Agencies |
February 7, 2010, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE continued failure of boxing authorities to comply with standard drug testing procedures is a concern, World Anti Doping Agency Director General David Howman has said.
Drug testing has been discussed at length following the collapse last month of a proposed bout between the sport's two best pound-for-pound fighters, Floyd Mayweather Jr (40-0) and Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2).
Pacquiao refused the American's request for Olympic-style random blood testing and will fight Ghanaian Joshua Clottey instead on March 13.
"There are countless numbers of bodies that profess to be running boxing and holding boxing fights, none of them fall under any umbrella body that has made any attempt to be a part of WADA," Howman said from Montreal on Friday.
"It is obvious they (organizing bodies) are not making any attempt to clean up their sport and that leaves us with, not only a lot of concern, but a pretty nasty taste in the mouth."
The United States Anti-Doping Agency carries out testing for WADA in the US, where most boxing organizations are based, but has struggled to implement the code.
Mayweather's insistence on random testing, however, showed Howman there was hope the sport could make clear it was clean.
Pacquiao, who filed a lawsuit in December saying Mayweather falsely accused him of using performance-enhancing drugs, offered to have blood drawn 30 days prior to the proposed bout but not after, as he was concerned that random testing would be intrusive of his training.
"Your first thought is he is cheating if he is not prepared to do something that shows he is not cheating," Howman said of Filipino Pacquiao, who has never tested positive.
"Blood tests are pretty simple, it's a prick in the arm, it is not going to deplete his energy or ability to fight. You are not taking a pint of blood."
Drug testing has been discussed at length following the collapse last month of a proposed bout between the sport's two best pound-for-pound fighters, Floyd Mayweather Jr (40-0) and Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2).
Pacquiao refused the American's request for Olympic-style random blood testing and will fight Ghanaian Joshua Clottey instead on March 13.
"There are countless numbers of bodies that profess to be running boxing and holding boxing fights, none of them fall under any umbrella body that has made any attempt to be a part of WADA," Howman said from Montreal on Friday.
"It is obvious they (organizing bodies) are not making any attempt to clean up their sport and that leaves us with, not only a lot of concern, but a pretty nasty taste in the mouth."
The United States Anti-Doping Agency carries out testing for WADA in the US, where most boxing organizations are based, but has struggled to implement the code.
Mayweather's insistence on random testing, however, showed Howman there was hope the sport could make clear it was clean.
Pacquiao, who filed a lawsuit in December saying Mayweather falsely accused him of using performance-enhancing drugs, offered to have blood drawn 30 days prior to the proposed bout but not after, as he was concerned that random testing would be intrusive of his training.
"Your first thought is he is cheating if he is not prepared to do something that shows he is not cheating," Howman said of Filipino Pacquiao, who has never tested positive.
"Blood tests are pretty simple, it's a prick in the arm, it is not going to deplete his energy or ability to fight. You are not taking a pint of blood."
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