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Last week, the American cyclist and former Tour de France winner, Floyd Landis, told the world that not only had he used performance enhancing drugs during his 2006 Tour victory, but for many seasons preceding that.
Moreover, and more controversially, he also alleged that his former teammates, most notably the great Lance Armstrong, was using EPO and blood doping during the 2002-2003 season.
The revelations certainly caused a stir in the sporting world. Armstrong, winner of the most prestigious cycling event a record seven times, was quick to dismiss the allegations.
But despite this, and despite never being found guilty of use of an illegal substance, in some quarters there will always be a question mark surrounding the legitimacy of his achievements. Landis only ever failed a drugs test in one race, and if what he said it is to be believed, that means his drug taking went undetected for four years.
In the same week that Landis made his remarks, Filipino pugilist Manny Pacquiao (51-3, 38 KOs) gave the clearest indication yet that he is willing to compromise to the drug testing requests of fellow boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jnr (41-0, 25 KOs).
The news that Pacquiao is willing to undergo blood testing 14 days ahead of the day brings together, once again, the possibility of a showdown with his American rival.
The superfight between the two best pound-for-pound boxers on the planet was originally scheduled for March of this year. However, negotiations broke down at seemingly the final hurdle when the parties could not agree on the method of drug testing to be used.
It was an embarrassing saga for boxing, and certainly cast a shadow over the whole sport.
The Filipino whirlwind is the most celebrated boxer of his generation. Growing up in poverty in General Santos City, his rags to riches story is one very hard not to be compelled by. Beginning his professional boxing career in the tiny 106 pound flyweight, nobody could have predicted his meteoric rise to the very pinnacle of the sport.
He has got to the top through sheer hard work, dedication to his craft, coupled with his special, innate, natural ability. It has been in the past two years, since his demolition of the one time golden boy, Oscar de la Hoya, that his stock has really soared though.
Through his swashbuckling performances, and likable, humble personality, he has managed to transcend the world of boxing. He is revered in his home country of the Philippines, and was elected to the country's Congress earlier this month.
It is fair to say that he has become an icon of boxing, and one of the true superstars of the sport worldwide.
But the events at the turn of the new year concerning the breakdown of negotiations with the Mayweather camp could well have a lasting implication on his legacy.
In the same way that there are question marks over Lance Armstrong without any actual evidence of wrongdoing, will Manny Pacquiao's post-career legacy suffer the same fate?
Certainly, from what I can gauge at least, since the rumblings of drug-taking has emerged from the Mayweather camp, there has been a different vibe circulating about the Filipino.
After his defeat of Miguel Cotto last November, he really was riding on the crest of a wave. But following the aftermath of the Blood Test Gate, it would seem that the emphasis has been slightly off his efforts and accomplishments inside the ring.
Instead, the issue of drug testing and Manny Pacquiao would now seem to come hand-in-hand with each other.
Indeed, the storm whipped up by Mayweather in January continued to rage even when it was not Pacquiao himself under the microscope.
In his recent fight against Paulie Malignaggi, Britain's Amir Khan—Pacquiao's gym partner—was forced to fend off questions about his own use of performance enhancing drugs.
It would appear, therefore, that a cloud of doubt has set in over the whole Roach regime.
Even with the announcement that he is willing to relent somewhat to Mayweather's demands, questions will still be asked. Why is he accepting now, what he was steadfastly against before? Had he something to hide?
There will always be an argument that how Mayweather conducted himself, and what he demanded, was unreasonable and unfair. Of course, ultimately, it is up to the state boxing commissions to set the rules with regard to drug testing.
But this is, or would have been, no ordinary fight. In some ways, it is fight that is bigger than boxing. And as we have been witness to subsequently in the Mayweather/Mosley bout, there is a place for a more stringent set of drugs testing in boxing, that is both achievable and desirable.
Surely, in years to come, we would like to look back at this fight and not any doubts about the legitimacy of its combatants.
The fight may very well happen at the end of this year, and the winner will have his name etched into the annals of boxing history as one of the greatest. But whatever the outcome, I worry that the events of the past few months will forever leave a doubt in people's mind about great the Pacman really was.
As it stands, Pacquiao deserves all the accolades he gets. He is the outstanding boxer of the past decade, and rightly takes his position as the pound for pound champion today.
I just hope that a legacy that was born in the gym, and cultured inside the squared circle, is not tarnished by his reluctance to take few blood tests.
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