SPORTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

Pacquiao demands Mayweather denies violation punishment, rematch before Pacquiao bout over anti-doping row LAS VEGAS: The build-up to today’s fight between peutic use exemption (TUE) by USADA 19 days later. “We believe it Floyd Mayweather Jr and has been rocked by sugges- is important to immediately correct the record regarding the false GENERAL SANTOS: Philippine boxer called for tions of a doping violation four months ago, an allegation flatly suggestion that Floyd Mayweather violated the rules by receiving punishment and a rematch yesterday after his fierce rival Floyd denied by Mayweather on Thursday. an IV infusion of saline and vitamins,” USADA said in a statement Mayweather was accused of violating anti-doping rules in the According to a report by SB Nation, Mayweather allegedly on Thursday. build-up to their mega-fight in May. The eight-division world received an intravenous injection of saline and vitamins, that was “As was already publicly reported in May of this year by the champion, who lost a unanimous decision to Mayweather in Las banned under World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines, on the eve of Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), Mr. Mayweather applied Vegas, urged Nevada sports officials to “impose the appropriate his megabout with Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on May 2. for and was granted a TUE by USADA for an IV infusion of saline and sanction” on the unbeaten American. Mayweather and the However, Mayweather said in a statement that he “did not commit vitamins that was administered prior to his May 2 fight. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) have both insisted any violations” and he was fully supported by the United States Anti- “Mr. Mayweather’s use of the IV was not prohibited under the the boxer’s actions were legal after it emerged he was injected Doping Agency (USADA) earlier on Thursday. “As already confirmed NSAC rules at that time and would not be a violation of the NSAC with vitamins and minerals before the fight. by the USADA statement, I did not commit any violations of the rules today.” According to USADA, both the NSAC and Team Pacquiao But Pacquiao questioned why USADA only informed the Nevada or USADA drug testing guidelines,” said Mayweather, who were notified about the TUE after it was granted, “even though the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) about the infusion beat Pacquiao on a unanimous decision to improve his perfect record practice is not prohibited under NSAC rules”. three weeks after the bout, by which time Mayweather had to 48-0. For the NSAC, the main issue here is creating a closer working rela- already received a USADA exemption. “Are they hiding some- “I follow and have always followed the rules of Nevada and USA- tionship with USADA. thing? For the sake of fairness and for the good of the sport, DA, the gold standard of drug testing.“Let’s not forget that I was the “In the state of Nevada, we are the only entity that is allowed to NSAC must be consistent,” he told reporters at his home in the one six years ago who insisted on elevating the level of drug testing approve therapeutic use exemptions for any and all combatants,” southern Philippines. “If needed, the NSAC should impose the for all my fights. As a result, there is more drug testing and awareness NSAC executive director Bob Bennett told Reuters. appropriate sanction to sustain its credibility and to show the of its importance in the sport of boxing today than ever before.” “It’s incumbent upon USADA and the Nevada State Athletic world they did not give preferential treatment to the According to the SB Nation report, USADA collection agents visit- Commission to work hand in glove in an effort to combat perform- Mayweather camp,” he added. ed Mayweather’s house in Las Vegas the night before his May 2 fight ance-enhancing drugs in boxing, mixed martial arts, etc. A report on the SB Nation sports news website said to conduct an unannounced drug test and discovered that he had “Once we can have a better understanding of what USADA’s posi- Mayweather had broken World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) been given an IV for rehydration purposes. tion is on TUEs and ours, this media controversy will end. It adds no regulations by having an IV infusion at his home in Las Vegas on negative narrative on Floyd whatsoever. He has set the standard for May 1, the day before the fight. WADA guidelines say IV infu- LATE EXEMPTION FROM USADA all fighters (in combatting doping).” Mayweather will put his unbeat- sions are prohibited because they can be used to mask perform- While the substances in the IV were not banned by WADA, the en record on the line when he defends his WBC and WBA welter- ance-enhancing drugs, increase plasma volume levels and dis- fact that they were given intravenously was not permitted, the weight titles against fellow American Berto in Las Vegas at the MGM tort the values of an athlete’s biological passport. report said, and Mayweather was only given a retroactive thera- Grand Garden Arena today. — Reuters But a USADA source told AFP that because Mayweather obtained a therapeutic use exemption, no offence had been committed under WADA rules.

‘I want a rematch’ Pacquiao also said he was treated unfairly because the Nevada body refused to let him use a USADA-approved painkiller for the fight, when he was carrying a shoulder injury. “That is why I want a rematch. One without any injury and with fair play. No favouritism. Not one where the Mayweather camp gets to dictate all the terms and conditions,” he said. Doping allegations have been at the heart of the fighters’ long- running feud, which has not abated since Mayweather won their only meeting for the World Boxing Organization welterweight title. The richest fight in boxing history took years to become reality, partly because of Mayweather’s insistence that Pacquiao comply with a strict drug-testing regime. Mayweather later accused Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs, prompting a lawsuit which was settled out of court. After Mayweather’s victory on points, he branded Pacquiao a “sore loser” for revealing his injured torn rotator cuff injury, which later needed surgery. “Truth finally came out and I was vindicated,” Pacquiao said in a brief statement earlier. “(The) Mayweather camp accused me of using PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs). Now look what happened.” Mayweather, who is looking to extend his unblemished 49-0 record against Andre Berto on Saturday, has insisted he is a “clean athlete”. “I follow and have always followed the rules of Nevada and USADA, the gold stan- MINDANAO: This photo taken on September 10, 2015 shows Philippine boxing icon Manny Pacquiao delivering a speech dur- dard of drug testing,” Mayweather said in a statement. ing the inauguration of a low-cost housing village owned and named after him in Glan town, Sarangani province, on the south- “I am very proud to be a clean athlete and will continue to ern island of Mindanao. Pacquiao declared he was vindicated over previous drugs allegations from Floyd Mayweather after his champion the cause,” he added. — Reuters American rival was accused of violating anti-doping rules before their mega-fight. — AFP Berto ready to fight ‘over his head’, says trainer

LAS VEGAS: Challenger Andre Berto will go into today’s welter- head? Yes, of course he does. There are just nights when it hap- PITHY POEMS weight fight against Floyd Mayweather as a heavy underdog but pens. Andre Berto is going to take it over his head and that’s what Mayweather’s trainer and father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., who his trainer senses that something is brewing and that boxing fans he intends to do, and that’s what we have to do.” frequently recites pithy poems about his fighters’ opponents, pre- will be treated to a real “rumble”. Berto (30-3, 23 knockouts) is known for his power punching dicted that his son would likely bow out of boxing with a knock- Berto, 32, will be aiming to end his fellow American’s perfect and athleticism but faces a daunting task against Mayweather, a out on Saturday. “I really think Floyd is coming to fight,” the 62- 48-0 record and his corner man, Virgil Hunter, has promised that 20-1 favourite and five-division world champion who has said year-old said. “I know Berto’s coming to fight. One thing I’ve seen his boxer is capable of fighting “over his head” in a bout sched- that he will retire from boxing after Saturday’s bout. from Berto is that he has no defence-and he’s messing with a uled for 12 rounds at the MGM Grand. “With Floyd’s I.Q., we’re not going to try to match it,” said defensive whiz. “I definitely think Floyd will trap him somewhere “When you get two ‘brothers’ together ... you’re going to see a Hunter. “We can’t, there are other elements that make things suc- along the way. Floyd respects Berto and is not overlooking him, fight, a real fight,” Hunter told reporters while preparing Berto in cessful. I’ve just got this feeling ... there is something brewing in but he might just stop him, it’s very possible.” Mayweather Sr. also his bid to claim Mayweather’s WBC and WBA welterweight titles. the air. “There’s some personal stuff going on here. Trust me, it’s weighed in with some teasing poetry. “If you want to get beat, “I think about Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali in the ‘Thrilla in going to be a rumble. I’ve seen Floyd’s Plan B. I’ve seen him go to Floyd’s the man to meet,” he smiled. “Your hands can’t hit what Manila’, when people thought Joe was done, and even Ali war. I’ve seen him get hit, knocked back in a rumble with guys the eyes can’t see, because he’s the man with the plan. He’s got a thought he was done. But what did we get? An epic heavyweight bigger than him. “I know he’s got a Plan B. I’m not going to be plan to put you on your pants. “So don’t be shocked if you get fight. Of course Joe was done but he fought over his head. swayed by his skill, that I.Q. skill. This fight is going to be fought stopped by combinations galore. Look no closer than the last “Does Andre Berto have the capability of fighting over his from way deep down.” shot.” — Reuters