Erik Morales - Banned for 2 years... Means nothing.

There's word of USADA informing Erik Morales that he faces a 2 year ban following a positive tests for the banned substance clenbuterol (a duieretic that can mask other agents in the body).

This is all well and good, but USADA can flex its muscles on the subject as much as they want. The fight still went ahead, their ban means nothing in Mexico and the guy is likely to retire once more after a "Thank You" bout in front of his adoring fans in Mexico.

The more I hear on the subject of steroids/drug testing in Boxing, the crazier it is...

That's the thing, licensing and sanctioning is all done on a state to state, country to country basis, making bans of any description not worth the paper they're written on - look at Chisora getting his licence back via Finland or whereever it was to fight in the UK. When a fighter can get round a ban for bad behaviour like that it makes the sport a mockery, but when he can do it to get out of a drugs ban it makes it an outright disgrace.

No point going down the "if only there was one global governing body for the sport" line as we've done it to death, we all know the score on it, we know it'll never happen and we know that despite there being many hardworking fighters & trainers out there earning a living the honest way, the sport is essentially a cess pit.

Its crazy how he was allowed to fight after the A and B sample of his test both failed twice. 2 years would be a meaningful ban if he couldn't just side step it if he chooses.

bellchees wrote:Its crazy how he was allowed to fight after the A and B sample of his test both failed twice. 2 years would be a meaningful ban if he couldn't just side step it if he chooses.

You're spot on, but seldom have we seen a 2 year ban put in place! This "ban" is as useful as charging Jimmy Savile.

As for a "one universal body" - I agree it's been done to death, but how can an Anti-Dopin agency such as USADA have NO say in the fight going ahead or be able to black list a sportsman/woman. This is an Agency who govern all of the Olympic/Paralympic, uncovered the Lance Armstrong stuff and have a massive contract with a number of other sports events.

I've posted something in my other thread about USADA, may as well post it here too:

http://www.maxboxing.com/news/max-boxing-news/broner-vs-demarco-and-the-contracted-usada-testing-that-didnt-happen

As people say pointless to a guy whon is retiring and they know this.

It's a much tougher punishment than others have had but I think they knew he was returing so placed down a long ban to make it look like they are doing the right thing.

I doubt they would have given a 2 year ban to a young active high profile fighter.

Token gesture. Morales will be unaffected. His legacy years are long since passed and if he fights again at all it'll be in Mexico as he's already said. This two-year ban is a joke, especially given that Peterson, Berto and others have all recently failed drugs testing and been punished much less. It's another attempt to placate the fans who want a cleaner sport, while simultaneously glossing over the wider problem.