DOPING ISSUE: BOXING AUTHORITIES SHOULD FOLLOW THOSE IN CLYCLING

Lance Armstrong.

Reports indicate that two doctors and a team trainer with Lance Armstrong?s cycling teams during his seven consecutive Tour de France title run received lifetime ban from the US Anti-Doping Agency for doping violations.

The reports further stated that the doctors, Dr. Luis Garcia del Moral of Spain, Dr Michele Ferrari of Italy and trainer Jose ?Pepe? Marti of Spain were all found to have participated in what USADA describes as a ?sophisticated?, far reaching doping conspiracy with the US Postal Service Team.

In Ville-Morgon, France, meantime it was announced that 2012 Tour cyclist Remy di Gregorio and two other people suspected of supplying the French rider with banned substances were arrested.

Cycling should be commended for its action.

They are right smack in the middle of the doping issue and are doing the right thing.

Those found guilty or suspected of wrong doing are arrested and dealt with appropriate punishment. They are banned from the sports if found guilty! Some bans last a lifetime.

Cycling has been in the forefront of the doping issues. Two-time the Tour de France champion Alberto Contador of Spain is sitting out 2012 Tour to serve a ban for the ?violations? in 2010.

Armstrong himself has been charged with participating in a doping conspiracy and is in the middle of a legal battle about the issue.

I ask - Why can?t boxing follow the example of cycling and be tough on doping violators?

Better still, do the powers that be in boxing have the balls to act firmly and decisively against boxers, trainers etc., to clean up the sport or are they satisfied with the present convoluted nature of boxing?

The ?slap-in-the hands? attitude of the boxing people for those who test positive is what makes the sport what it is today- a sport that many consider as dirty and populated by ?cheaters?.

Now more than ever is the best time to make changes and bring respect back to boxing.

Boxing should act decisively and clean up the sport. All it really takes is mandate a life time ban for anyone caught doping. Zero tolerance, if you may.

How difficult is that?

Zero tolerance and a lifetime ban applied across the board with no compromise will definitely send the word out to those who think of doping to get ahead in the game.

The prospect of a life time ban for doping, I am positive will instill fear and force prospective cheaters to be honest.

More importantly, they will begin to respect the sports. With that, the fans will follow suit.