6. DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT
There is no point in taking any steps if the most vital step is not among them – the implementation of an effective and universal drug testing system.
Boxing is considered the most perilous sport in the world, yet it still lags behind other disciplines when it comes to anti-doping protocols.
There have been a number of high-profile cases in recent years, but the difference in how they have been handled is startling. Conor Benn’s case, which actually began in July 2022, is ongoing; Amir Khan was suspended for two years but took 14 months to serve; Ryan Garcia just began a one-year suspension two months after failing two tests. Worse, many boxers who have failed multiple tests in the past remain busy.
All of this underscores what boxing really needs – an overarching global association capable of making and enforcing laws, to which all commissions and governing bodies are subject and obedient. In turn, the steps outlined in sections one through five (one world champion; one set of rankings; managing a points system; building audience loyalty and funding amateur clubs and former boxers) could be managed under one roof.
For now, however, such a commission is a pipe dream, but it would not hurt to identify its needs. After all, this is the utopia we are striving for.
Thomas Hauser recently wrote an article in the Guardian it was basically an open letter to Turki Alalshikh of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) in Saudi Arabia regarding the doping problem in boxing.
“Too often in boxing, the integrity of competition is undermined by the employ of illegal performance-enhancing drugs,” Hauser wrote. “Enforcement of the ban on their employ is inadequate. With today’s sophisticated microdosing techniques, traces of illegal drugs can disappear from a fighter’s system within 24 to 48 hours. Most fighters are rarely tested. And when a fighter tests positive, he often hires powerful lawyers to challenge effective sanctions.
“Athletes who have tested positive for illegal performance-enhancing drugs are taking legal action. They are using ‘medical confidentiality’ as a sword and shield. It is often claimed that an athlete has been ‘acquitted’ and ‘proven innocent’ despite rulings that say otherwise. The facts behind the cases are hidden from the public. There have even been reports of athletes avoiding the consequences of previous positive tests by seeking to fight in Saudi Arabia.”
Like me, Hauser recognized that Alalshikh is probably the only power broker in the entire sport who is both willing and able to manifest positive change. He shares the concerns of most fans and has worked exceptionally strenuous to eliminate an obvious problem—namely, the inherent difficulty of creating the most attractive matchups. Therefore, if there is enough money to regularly produce enticing events, it is reasonable to assume that there should be enough to effect changes that will benefit the long-term future of the sport.
Hauser suggested that any fighter wishing to fight under the auspices of GEA must be enrolled in the GEA-Vada program for at least six months prior to the fight.
In utopia, this would be just the beginning.
As sports like track and field and cycling have discovered, the only effective system is year-round random testing. Top athletes, whether they train or not, are subject to random testing any day of the year, at any time.
VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) has proven to be the best at what it does, but it is at the mercy of the athletes, promoters and commissioners who are expected to act in accordance with them. Therefore, it is imperative that anyone involved in taking over the sport ensures that they are doing the right thing, every time.
In an ideal world, every world-class player should undergo at least two random tests per month. The number of tests should raise during the camp. The punishment for a failed test must be severe, regardless of how the illegal substance entered the body. A four-year ban, with the possibility of reducing it to three years if they inform the authorities where and from whom they got the substance, would send the right message – to fans and potential cheaters alike.
Once again, none of this is economical to achieve. But if we can’t afford to do everything we can to achieve the cleanest sport possible – one where boxers aren’t artificially enhanced to do even more damage – then there’s a forceful case to argue that the sport shouldn’t exist at all.
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