Sports scientist and nutritional guru Victor Conte pulls no punches. Why would he? After all, he’s been through hell and back after doing time in prison for his involvement with illegal sports doping through his infamous BALCO labs and many disgraced athletes who were caught in the middle of the wildfire.
Conte has since distanced himself for illegal doping and actually lends his expertise in catching “cheats”. So when asked if Manny Pacquiao’s fourth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez was the type of fight that would be ideal for comprehensive, random drug testing, the convivial Conte joked and poked fun at both fighters’ controversial strength and conditioning coaches. “Maybe they should call this ‘Chemical Warfare: Ariza vs. Memo 2,'” Conte told this scribe in an interviewed earlier this week.
While others’ message about drug testing in boxing have been nebulous, the man who knows all the ins and outs of doping has clearly delivered that which needs to be heard. “I never liked Floyd Mayweather, Jr. calling the testing that he does, “Olympic-style” testing,” Conte stated, and continued, “My opinion is, it’s random blood and urine testing for 8 to 10 weeks prior to a fight. That’s what it is. The definition of Olympic-style testing is 24/7-365 (year-round, around the clock). It’s a deterrent; any time, any place, anywhere.”
Video: Victor Conte on drug testing Pacquiao vs. Marquez 4
In short, Mayweather’s USADA testing is a confusing one, since anybody who knows how to cheat the system can beat it. Conte elaborated by differentiating the type of testing Mayweather underwent compared to a more comprehensive type of drug testing companies like VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency) implements.
“VADA (compared to USADA) also uses more stringent protocols, more sophisticated testing, specifically with the CIR (Carbon Isotope Ratio) testing. USADA only does this and all Olympic-type lab testing they perform if you have an elevated TE ratio of 4:1,” explained Conte. VADA is also the company that tagged Lamont Peterson and Andre Berto for illegal performance enhancing drugs in their system.
“The reason I don’t like that protocol is because you can, (I’m talking about baseball players who use it on a daily basis), after a game, rub on a testosterone cream and it stays in the bloodstream for 4 hours. By 8 hours, it’s back down on the baseline, and after 6 hours you’re below the 4:1 ratio. So guys can use it the day before and test negative. And the same thing goes on with the USADA-type testing. You can use it every single night, literally USADA can test you every single day and you can come up below 4:1, that’s because it only takes you six hours to go below the 4:1 ratio,” he continued.
Conte then proceeded to answer my question and lauded Pacquiao for finally stating that he will agree to take random urine and blood drug tests all the way to the fight, and that if there is a real intent from both parties to clear their names, he is optimistic that an organization like VADA will be willing to sponsor their comprehensive random drug testing.
“I certainly think that is something that they (VADA) would consider, and my opinion is that I would like to see them make that offer if there is genuine interest on behalf of Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez,” said Conte.
? “I can not speak for VADA about whether they have requested or are willing to sponsor Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, but I think there?s certainly a good chance that they would. If they have that interest, then that idea could be presented to Margaret Goodman (VADA chief) and that?s certainly something she has made offered to a number of people including Nonito (Donaire), a number of MMA fighters like Cung Le and others, and also BJ Penn is now being tested on sponsorship for his upcoming fight with Rory McDonald. — Conte on drug testing Pacquiao-Marquez 4.
