Why isn’t hair follicle testing the standard in boxing?

**whollisboxing** · 01-09-2021, 04:39 PM

Originally posted by Squ□redCircle34

I’m just here to make you think, if the testing in today’s boxing has improved, what does that say about the drug testing of back then or if there was even testing during the 40’s and 50’s!?

Shane Mosley is a perfect example of someone who never got caught but admitted he took PED’s, so if Shane never got caught then how many other fighters in the past and present an possibly future will never be caught but was on some PED?

We all know the testing should be 365 as long as a fighter is active, with how dangerous the sport is and how the commission an sanctioning bodies are paid in full, how come what some may consider the most rigorous an elite drug testing the hair follicle tests not enforced as the standard in boxing?

Should hair follicle tests be the standard?

Is it too expensive to do? And if so how much does a hair follicle test cost since the test picks up any contamination several months to near a year?!

Tyson Fury would have no problem with that lol

Seriously though, I'm all for strict testing protocols to clean up the sport. I imagine that part of the issue is fighters simply assuming that their opponent is dirty and thus justifying being dirty themselves.

**Squ□redCircle34** · 01-09-2021, 04:53 PM

Originally posted by whollisboxing

Tyson Fury would have no problem with that lol

Seriously though, I'm all for strict testing protocols to clean up the sport. I imagine that part of the issue is fighters simply assuming that their opponent is dirty and thus justifying being dirty themselves.

lol @ Tyson Fury

But it’s a serious question due to the fact that VADA/WADA/USADA all have had problems catching fighters at one point and another and they all have cut off dates unless you specifically sign up
for 365 but then you have to pay out of pocket which is mad expensive!

I just saw that VADA tests costs generally $2,2500 an with combat sports its between $7,500 to $11,000 which with a fighter having to give their cut to their promoter, manager(s), trainer, S&C coach?, nutritionist?, sparring partners, then Uncle Sam, I can see why in a poor mans sport such as boxing that some fighters refuse it for those circumstances alone especially if they already don’t make much!

Hair follicle tests I read up on can detect much farther contaminations than blood or urine and it seems even cheaper which is why I asked why isn’t it the standard!

**MUNG** · 01-09-2021, 04:55 PM

i can picture the testers knocking on furys door, tyson, we want a few of your pubes

**Squ□redCircle34** · 01-09-2021, 05:01 PM

Originally posted by Songbird

i can picture the testers knocking on furys door, tyson, we want a few of your pubes

Nice jokes, but seriously, hair follicle tests seem cheaper an more effective than blood an urine so why isn’t it used?

Seems to me like the commissions see it as a business opportunity to use VADA since it’s more expensive an more recognizably used to look like they’re doing their jobs!

IMO I think they know most of the fighters at the top are on something an turn a blind eye to it for the money vs using a more efficient testing like hair follicle where it could take the allure away from the top earners thus hurting their bottom line!

**Beercules** · 01-09-2021, 05:04 PM

Too many fighters will test dirty.

Plus those test are expensive.

=

Promoters, networks lose money.

**Squ□redCircle34** · 01-09-2021, 05:22 PM

Originally posted by Beercules

Too many fighters will test dirty.

Plus those test are expensive.

=

Promoters, networks lose money.

I looked up hair follicle tests cost and it seems very cheap in comparison to VADA tests or blood an urine testing!

Where have you seen other prices for hair follicle tests?

I agree with what you said about everything else!

**MUNG** · 01-09-2021, 05:34 PM

Originally posted by Squ□redCircle34

IMO I think they know most of the fighters at the top are on something an turn a blind eye to it for the money vs using a more efficient testing like hair follicle where it could take the allure away from the top earners thus hurting their bottom line!

Yeah, could be something like that

I havn't read up on it for ages, i just presume once u are 'on vada' u are good to go but i don't fully know what that means. Is it all year random testing at any time off/on season etc

I presume having more tools in the box to catch cheaters is better & hair sounds good

level playing field is important, i suspect it's far too easy for cheaters to cheat when they are not on notice all year round

**Squ□redCircle34** · 01-09-2021, 05:41 PM

Originally posted by Songbird

Yeah, could be something like that

I havn't read up on it for ages, i just presume once u are 'on vada' u are good to go but i don't fully know what that means. Is it all year random testing at any time off/on season etc

I presume having more tools in the box to catch cheaters is better & hair sounds good

level playing field is important, i suspect it's far too easy for cheaters to cheat when they are not on notice all year round

I think you have to pay out of pocket for year round testing like Canelo did, Nonito did for awhile and I think still do and Jarell Miller is doing now!

It’s pretty expensive an kind of shows the lack of oversight an how money is more important than integrity in the sport and in fact in all of sports too as well!

IMO I just think hair follicle should be the standard or just let all fighters use a standard PED that helps specifically with recovery during an after training camp!

**_Rexy_** · 01-09-2021, 05:51 PM

They had mentioned during the Canelo/Clen saga that hair follicle testing didn't work on certain hair types. Ironically, red hair was one of them.

Why isn’t hair follicle testing the standard in boxing?