SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The continued failure of boxing authorities to comply with standard drug testing procedures is a concern, World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) director general David Howman has told Reuters.
Drug testing has been discussed at length following the collapse last month of a proposed bout between the sport's two best pound-for-pound fighters, Floyd Mayweather Jr (40-0) and Filipino Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2).
Pacquiao refused to the American's request for Olympic-style random blood testing and will fight Ghanaian Joshua Clottey instead on March 13.
"There are countless numbers of bodies that profess to be running boxing and holding boxing fights, none of them fall under any umbrella body that has made any attempt to be a part of WADA," Howman told Reuters via telephone from Montreal on Friday.
"It is obvious they (organising bodies) are not making any attempt to clean up their sport and that leaves us with, not only a lot of concern, but a pretty nasty taste in the mouth.
"There have been sufficient incidents in the world of professional boxing to show there has been doping in the past and you would have to be pretty stupid to think it wouldn't be continuing so why are they not doing anything about it?," added Howman.
The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) carries out testing for WADA in the U.S, where most boxing organisations are based, but have struggled to implement the code.
"They (USADA) have tried and had a little bit of success with one boxer laying down conditions for a recent fight, the Mayweather fight, but their conversations have really come to nought so far and that's a bit disappointing not only for them but for us," Howman said.
"This is a unique code which covers every country in the world so those that are not part of it ought to be reflecting and saying "why are we not adhering to these rules?".
COMMON SENSE
Mayweather's insistence on random testing, however, showed Howman there was hope the sport could make clear it was clean.
"I would anticipate at some stage common sense will prevail," Howman said. "Generally speaking it will be the clean athlete that wants to show he is fighting clean and if the others are not, then why not?"
Pacquiao, who filed a lawsuit in December saying Mayweather falsely accused him of using performance-enhancing drugs, offered to have blood drawn 30 days prior to the proposed bout but not after, as he was concerned that random testing would be intrusive of his training.
"Your first thought is he is cheating if he is not prepared to do something that shows he is not cheating," Howman said of Pacquiao, who has never tested positive.
"Blood tests are pretty simple, it's a prick in the arm, it is not going to deplete his energy or ability to fight. You are not taking a pint of blood, you are taking a very small amount."
Mayweather will instead fight on May 1 against WBA welterweight champion Shane Mosley.
Mayweather and Pacquiao are expected to talk again about a possible bout late in the year, most likely under random testing, should they win their forthcoming contests.
"Isn't that a good thing?", Howman said. "That can only do him (Pacquiao) good."
(Editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
Source: in.reuters.com
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