Andre Ward has refused to participate in the VADA testing

[beenKOed]

Has Ward said anything about testing or not testing since this "tempest in a tea cup" started?
To be fair, LIKE I KNOW WE ALL WANT TO BE, shouldn't we hear what he has to say before we throw him in the dungeon.

[Beanflicker]

I think (correct me if I'm wrong) that the tested athlete has to pay for the additional VADA testing, which is a decent amount of money.

If that's true, I can see why a guy who fights clean would say "fuck that, why should I have to pay out of pocket to prove I'm not on steroids." Because in reality it's not the athlete's job to prove he's clean, it's the responsibility of the athletic boards to catch cheaters.

But if Ward promised to take VADA testing, then for sure he should live up to his agreement.

[Beanflicker]

BTW, I love the fact that people are doubting he uses PED's because he's not a big knockout puncher. It shows the general ignorance fans have of PED's and their MANY applications.

[Rantcatrat]

I dont blame Ward. The media establishment is starting to get a little stupid now. They dont even talk about the topic for 30 years and now since Manny/Floyd, any athlete for any fight that does not agree to additional testing is guilty. What made the Floyd/Manny circus news worthy in that regard was the fact that it could have been a 100 million dollar fight after all was said and done. Wards making a statement whether he knows it or not. The boxing establishment does not really want to catch the cheaters. If it did a newer designed testing regiment would have been implemented from the ground up long ago.It would be enforced by commissions and the boxing orgs. Fact of the matter is, they dont want testing programs that might actually catch people. This window dressing they use in an attempt to show steps are being made does not fool me.

I disagree 100%. Take the damn test. Since the Pacquiao/Mayweather situation, if you are a fighter getting paid HBO money to fight, there are no excuses for not taking the test. In a perfect world, the commissions and the boxing organizations would make strict drug testing mandatory for all boxers, but we're not in a perfect world. If you are clean, prove it, be the example for clean competition, not the other way around. So far, Donaire is the only competitor I'm aware of that is on 24/7/365 testing. He shouldn't be the only one. Marquez should have taken the tests. Ward should take the tests. That's it.

i'm certain andre ward has done a lot of different steroids and drugs while recovering and rehabilitating after his injuries and surgery... maybe he's scared to stop using or maybe he knows he didn't stop in time for them to have cleared out of his system.

@ruthless rocco, wasn't that Braun's excuse? Someone should ask Ward what drugs he took during his recovery from injury.

[IamInuit]

I dont blame Ward. The media establishment is starting to get a little stupid now. They dont even talk about the topic for 30 years and now since Manny/Floyd, any athlete for any fight that does not agree to additional testing is guilty. What made the Floyd/Manny circus news worthy in that regard was the fact that it could have been a 100 million dollar fight after all was said and done. Wards making a statement whether he knows it or not. The boxing establishment does not really want to catch the cheaters. If it did a newer designed testing regiment would have been implemented from the ground up long ago.It would be enforced by commissions and the boxing orgs. Fact of the matter is, they dont want testing programs that might actually catch people. This window dressing they use in an attempt to show steps are being made does not fool me.

I disagree 100%. Take the damn test. Since the Pacquiao/Mayweather situation, if you are a fighter getting paid HBO money to fight, there are no excuses for not taking the test. In a perfect world, the commissions and the boxing organizations would make strict drug testing mandatory for all boxers, but we're not in a perfect world. If you are clean, prove it, be the example for clean competition, not the other way around. So far, Donaire is the only competitor I'm aware of that is on 24/7/365 testing. He shouldn't be the only one. Marquez should have taken the tests. Ward should take the tests. That's it.

Disagreement is allowed. Look if boxers are now to be expected to extra testing then make it a damn law or rule or whatever and the Organizations, Commissions and broadcasters who pimp them can pay for the tests. Either everyone does it or forget it. You don't start singling out certain fighters or fights, you do a full court press. They have random drug tests in many workplaces. You mean to tell me these people cant figure out a way to fund a program? Of course they could but they don't want to. They would lose to many highlight reels and probably half of the stars. I don't like Ward but I doubt he cheats. He seems like one of these straighter then straight guys that was raised by Ozzie and Harriet.

i'm certain andre ward has done a lot of different steroids and drugs while recovering and rehabilitating after his injuries and surgery... maybe he's scared to stop using or maybe he knows he didn't stop in time for them to have cleared out of his system.

@ruthless rocco, wasn't that Braun's excuse? Someone should ask Ward what drugs he took during his recovery from injury.

A little hasty fellas. He might be using for injury rehab and he could also test in the allowable levels for that. That is why Lamont got his belt back. Him refusing testing does not mean therefore that he would test over those limits. This thread is a giant rush to judgement. Seems a slippery slope to me without a demand via rule changes. I bet Provo and Alvarado did not use VADA so by the standards on display here they must both be cheats.

[ross]

Refusing testing on its own should invoke a ban.

If an athlete misses a test they get instantly banned like Christine Ohurugu who was given honours by the queen and everyone seems to love even though shes a cheating little bitch.

[IamInuit]

Make a rule and not an offer. Real simple. Its not rocket science.

[Rantcatrat]

I dont blame Ward. The media establishment is starting to get a little stupid now. They dont even talk about the topic for 30 years and now since Manny/Floyd, any athlete for any fight that does not agree to additional testing is guilty. What made the Floyd/Manny circus news worthy in that regard was the fact that it could have been a 100 million dollar fight after all was said and done. Wards making a statement whether he knows it or not. The boxing establishment does not really want to catch the cheaters. If it did a newer designed testing regiment would have been implemented from the ground up long ago.It would be enforced by commissions and the boxing orgs. Fact of the matter is, they dont want testing programs that might actually catch people. This window dressing they use in an attempt to show steps are being made does not fool me.

I disagree 100%. Take the damn test. Since the Pacquiao/Mayweather situation, if you are a fighter getting paid HBO money to fight, there are no excuses for not taking the test. In a perfect world, the commissions and the boxing organizations would make strict drug testing mandatory for all boxers, but we're not in a perfect world. If you are clean, prove it, be the example for clean competition, not the other way around. So far, Donaire is the only competitor I'm aware of that is on 24/7/365 testing. He shouldn't be the only one. Marquez should have taken the tests. Ward should take the tests. That's it.

Disagreement is allowed. Look if boxers are now to be expected to extra testing then make it a damn law or rule or whatever and the Organizations, Commissions and broadcasters who pimp them can pay for the tests. Either everyone does it or forget it. You don't start singling out certain fighters or fights, you do a full court press. They have random drug tests in many workplaces. You mean to tell me these people cant figure out a way to fund a program? Of course they could but they don't want to. They would lose to many highlight reels and probably half of the stars. I don't like Ward but I doubt he cheats. He seems like one of these straighter then straight guys that was raised by Ozzie and Harriet.

i'm certain andre ward has done a lot of different steroids and drugs while recovering and rehabilitating after his injuries and surgery... maybe he's scared to stop using or maybe he knows he didn't stop in time for them to have cleared out of his system.

@ruthless rocco, wasn't that Braun's excuse? Someone should ask Ward what drugs he took during his recovery from injury.

A little hasty fellas. He might be using for injury rehab and he could also test in the allowable levels for that. That is why Lamont got his belt back. Him refusing testing does not mean therefore that he would test over those limits. This thread is a giant rush to judgement. Seems a slippery slope to me without a demand via rule changes. I bet Provo and Alvarado did not use VADA so by the standards on display here they must both be cheats.

I'm not accusing Ward of anything. Innocent until proven guilty. Yet, with the prevalence of PEDs in sports today, refusing to take a test is suspicious. There's no two ways about it.

My gripe with Ward, and other fighters of his caliber, who are making HBO/Showtime money and not taking any and every test out there, is set the example. Be the good guy. Ward is making more than $2MM to face Rodriguez. It shouldn't have had to be in his contract for him to take tests, he should have done it for the sake of having the opportunity to exemplify clean sport. Otherwise, he is encouraging bad behavior, rather than upstanding behavior. If Ward won't take tests making $2MM, why is Joe Blow going to do it when making $100k?

Isn't it ironic that with all his sanctimoniousness and piety, Ward refuses to be the example of clean, drug-free boxing?

[Rantcatrat]

Make a rule and not an offer. Real simple. Its not rocket science.

In a perfect world, you are absolutely correct. But, we're not in a perfect world, so do the best we can with what we have. Until the Commissions require it, set the example, especially if you are a multi-millionaire. If you are making millions of dollars to fight on HBO, no excuses, take the test.

[jehoshaphat]

Make a rule and not an offer. Real simple. Its not rocket science.

Or if Rodriguez's team only brings up additional PED testing AFTER the fight is signed then they should have to pay for the cost. They had 2 negotiations to bring up additional PED testing. They did not. Why would Rodriguez wait to get in front of the media to bring up PED testing? It seems to be an attempted smear campaign...and by the looks of it many are buying it.

[Spicoli]

If its the most full proof and thorough system it should simply be mandatory regardless of class or economic status. Frankly it not Wards responsibility to set an example and be a role model. Boxing needs to clean its own house at the foundation before it counts on the renters to do it for them. Just cause he's well payed doesn't make him any more suspect than a highly touted kid just starting out on FoxDeportes with investors.

On a side note Rodriquez can shate dynamite and have horse shoes in his gloves, he's still not beating Ward.

[Rantcatrat]

If its the most full proof and thorough system it should simply be mandatory regardless of class or economic status. Frankly it not Wards responsibility to set an example and be a role model. Boxing needs to clean its own house at the foundation before it counts on the renters to do it for them. Just cause he's well payed doesn't make him any more suspect than a highly touted kid just starting out on FoxDeportes with investors.

On a side note Rodriquez can shate dynamite and have horse shoes in his gloves, he's still not beating Ward.

It does make him more suspect because, unlike the kid on Fox Deportes, he has the financial means to do the tests, whereas the kid on Fox Deportes doesn't. More importantly, he was asked to take the test, and refused. If the kid on Fox Deportes refused, I'd be suspicious too. I'm more suspicious with Ward because he can afford to it.

It's not Ward's responsibility to do it, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't. It just means he doesn't have to. The distinction is significant.

[Rantcatrat]

Make a rule and not an offer. Real simple. Its not rocket science.

Or if Rodriguez's team only brings up additional PED testing AFTER the fight is signed then they should have to pay for the cost. They had 2 negotiations to bring up additional PED testing. They did not. Why would Rodriguez wait to get in front of the media to bring up PED testing? It seems to be an attempted smear campaign...and by the looks of it many are buying it.

Rodriguez is trying to smear Ward, and shame on him for it. HOWEVER, there is a really easy way to quiet any bad talk: take the test.

[ross]

Make a rule and not an offer. Real simple. Its not rocket science.

Or if Rodriguez's team only brings up additional PED testing AFTER the fight is signed then they should have to pay for the cost. They had 2 negotiations to bring up additional PED testing. They did not. Why would Rodriguez wait to get in front of the media to bring up PED testing? It seems to be an attempted smear campaign...and by the looks of it many are buying it.

Rodriguez is trying to smear Ward, and shame on them for it. HOWEVER, there is a really easy way to quiet any bad talk: take the test.

Rodriguez is now working with Victor Conte and Conte used to work with Ward.

Conte advised Edwin to do the random testing and im presuming he also advised Edwin to call Ward up on it

[Rantcatrat]

At this point in time, with so many boxers being busted for PEDs, I'm cynical as it is that even with progressive testing protocol, cheaters won't be caught, but when a boxer refuses tests now, it has to be a red flag. I don't see any two ways about it anymore. At one point, I didn't fully understand the scope of the epidemic, but now, unless you're tested with VADA, or at least WADA etc., it's hard not to think you're not on something.