By Miguel Rivera
Former world champions Francisco 'Bandido' Vargas and Erik Morales have both come out in support of their countryman, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.
It was revealed on Monday that Canelo had tested positive for traces of clenbuterol.
The Mexican superstar is deep in training for the upcoming rematch with IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, which takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Both Vargas and Morales had tested positive for clenbuteral. Morales test positive in 2012 and Vargas in 2016.
In the case of Morales, he recalled that at that time he had no major problem to continue with the fight against Danny Garcia, because it was not a substance banned by international organizations, while Vargas had to do 10 or more tests before going into the ring with Orlando Salido.
Both Vargas and Morales - and Canelo - have claimed food contamination for their positive results.
The use of clenbuteral on the beef in Mexico is still a lingering problem in the country.
Both Vargas and Morales are pleading with critics, and stating to them that "Canelo is the victim" in this situation.
"It is a common problem to a certain extent in Mexico, there is no control over meat, it is uncomfortable for athletes. I think that if anyone who eats meat [in the country], and the next day they conducts exams, they would come out positive," said Vargas to ESPN Deportes.
"The bad thing is that in the sports world we are the ones who are affected, because there is no control on the part of the authorities and that the rest of the world cares little. I had to leave Mexico after the positive test. I had more than 10 tests and in all I came out clean."
And Morales said for his part - "I was notified two or three days before the fight with Garcia, but at that time the New York Commission did not tell me anything, the agencies, in this case the WBC and the WBA backed me, and I had no problem, the issue is that this is a public health problem and it is true that one must be careful with the consumption of meat.
"The quantities they found are less than one nanogram per milliliter, they are tiny amounts that neither help nor decompose you, but now people do not want to believe you... they come down here, buy meat and get it tested, that's why many national and international leagues prevent their athletes from consuming it, and we as Mexicans must also avoid it, mainly the athletes."
