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May vs. Mosley testing regime called into question
Link: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-2...talks-continue
by: Scott Heritage
The one thing Floyd Mayweather set out to prove in taking on Shane Mosley other than that he would face the best opposition was that he was a clean fighter. Fully random testing administered by the USADA was the result, which Mosley, a former steroid user himself, was eager to go along with.
Throughout the build up to the fight, both camps extolled the virtues of random testing. Mosley in an effort to clear his name and Mayweather to gain an upper hand in his still raging public opinion battle with Manny Pacquiao.
As it transpired though, the random testing was stopped 18 days before the fight, which is an odd move from the testing agency no matter which side of the debate you might be on with regards to random testing. The USADA has been taking a hammering in the press ever since, with several prominent figures from the fields of both boxing and medicine voicing their concern over how thorough the tests really were.
Obviously neither fighter knew when the tests ended or whether they would be called on to provide more samples, so this reflects more on the testing agency more than is does either Floyd or Shane. Knowing that certain drugs can theoretically be taken and be out of the system in less than a day, leaving an 18 day gap seems irresponsible.
Former NSAC medical advisory chairman Margaret Goodman, speaking to the always enlightening Lem Satterfield of BoxingScene and Aol had this to say:
"It was absurd that the fighters were not checked for numbing agents such as lidocaine or xylocaine before and after the fight, when one fighter [Mayweather] has admitted using these agents before for sore hands. No fighter should fight nor face an opponent with numb hands,"
While numbing agents are not illegal as such, they are not allowed to be used during a fight and have to be declared to the athletic commission if they are being used beforehand. Obviously a fighter with fragile hands would benefit from not feeling anything if he were to damage them during the fight. There is also the safety side of things. A fighter wailing away with broken, numbed hands might do more damage to their fists than they can recover from.
Given that both fighters were eager to prove just how clean they were by undergoing the random testing, there is very little chance that either of them took anything illegal. However the issues highlighted by Goodman will no doubt call into question the validity of the testing, especially with Mayweather insisting on more of it if he fights Manny Pacquiao in the near future.
Despite the remaining obstacles between the pair, my Examiner colleague Mike Marley reckons the fight is as good as made, judging from Bob Arum's elated mood of late. Call me a cynic, but like many others I won't completely believe the fight is happening until the bell sounds and the first punches are thrown.
Benjamin Davies, Pittsburgh: "I think better testing is generally a good idea, but the entire Mayweather-Pacquiao situation got out of hand really quickly. The commissions should step in and do something before the fighters are the ones making all the rules"
Vaughn Carmichael, Philly: "No Xlyocaine checks for Mayweather and not enough EPO tests for Mosley? The USADA are looking more and more ridiculous by the day"
Earnie Hill, Alentown: "This testing thing has gone back and forth so much no one knows who is in the wrong now. First Pacquiao looked su****ious when he wouldn't agree to anything less than 24 days. Then it turns out that the tests aren't all that anyway and even though 14 days was fine before for Floyd, for some reason he won't accept it now"
How much of a difference would fully random testing make for Pacquiao vs. Mayweather?
Paulie Malignaggi moving to welterweight, a wise move?
Pacquiao faces more drug accusations from Floyd Mayweather Sr.
Should Pacquiao and Mayweather keep the testing but lose the USADA?
So who really needs to get him self tested? Xylocain may or pac who never been a ped user in the first place?
by: Scott Heritage
The one thing Floyd Mayweather set out to prove in taking on Shane Mosley other than that he would face the best opposition was that he was a clean fighter. Fully random testing administered by the USADA was the result, which Mosley, a former steroid user himself, was eager to go along with.
Throughout the build up to the fight, both camps extolled the virtues of random testing. Mosley in an effort to clear his name and Mayweather to gain an upper hand in his still raging public opinion battle with Manny Pacquiao.
As it transpired though, the random testing was stopped 18 days before the fight, which is an odd move from the testing agency no matter which side of the debate you might be on with regards to random testing. The USADA has been taking a hammering in the press ever since, with several prominent figures from the fields of both boxing and medicine voicing their concern over how thorough the tests really were.
Obviously neither fighter knew when the tests ended or whether they would be called on to provide more samples, so this reflects more on the testing agency more than is does either Floyd or Shane. Knowing that certain drugs can theoretically be taken and be out of the system in less than a day, leaving an 18 day gap seems irresponsible.
Former NSAC medical advisory chairman Margaret Goodman, speaking to the always enlightening Lem Satterfield of BoxingScene and Aol had this to say:
"It was absurd that the fighters were not checked for numbing agents such as lidocaine or xylocaine before and after the fight, when one fighter [Mayweather] has admitted using these agents before for sore hands. No fighter should fight nor face an opponent with numb hands,"
While numbing agents are not illegal as such, they are not allowed to be used during a fight and have to be declared to the athletic commission if they are being used beforehand. Obviously a fighter with fragile hands would benefit from not feeling anything if he were to damage them during the fight. There is also the safety side of things. A fighter wailing away with broken, numbed hands might do more damage to their fists than they can recover from.
Given that both fighters were eager to prove just how clean they were by undergoing the random testing, there is very little chance that either of them took anything illegal. However the issues highlighted by Goodman will no doubt call into question the validity of the testing, especially with Mayweather insisting on more of it if he fights Manny Pacquiao in the near future.
Despite the remaining obstacles between the pair, my Examiner colleague Mike Marley reckons the fight is as good as made, judging from Bob Arum's elated mood of late. Call me a cynic, but like many others I won't completely believe the fight is happening until the bell sounds and the first punches are thrown.
Benjamin Davies, Pittsburgh: "I think better testing is generally a good idea, but the entire Mayweather-Pacquiao situation got out of hand really quickly. The commissions should step in and do something before the fighters are the ones making all the rules"
Vaughn Carmichael, Philly: "No Xlyocaine checks for Mayweather and not enough EPO tests for Mosley? The USADA are looking more and more ridiculous by the day"
Earnie Hill, Alentown: "This testing thing has gone back and forth so much no one knows who is in the wrong now. First Pacquiao looked su****ious when he wouldn't agree to anything less than 24 days. Then it turns out that the tests aren't all that anyway and even though 14 days was fine before for Floyd, for some reason he won't accept it now"
How much of a difference would fully random testing make for Pacquiao vs. Mayweather?
Paulie Malignaggi moving to welterweight, a wise move?
Pacquiao faces more drug accusations from Floyd Mayweather Sr.
Should Pacquiao and Mayweather keep the testing but lose the USADA?
So who really needs to get him self tested? Xylocain may or pac who never been a ped user in the first place?
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