Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Mexican professional boxer Juan Manuel Márquez Méndez, a five-division world champion, may be using banned performance enhancing drugs, according to Victor Conte. The presence of acne on the chest on Marquez was rated as a sign of doping by Conte who remarked elevated testosterone levels in teen males can cause acne.
The controversy seems to exist because of the acne being evident, and also the fact Marquez is working with Angel “Memo” Heredia, who is known to have administered performance-enhancing drugs to US Olympic athletes, including multi-gold medal winner Marion Jones.
Manny Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz says he will insist on random drug testing by the Volunteer Anti-Doping Agency, should they agree to a fifth fight with Marquez.
Conte made these comments after Marquez scored a sensational win over Mike Alvarado in their 12-round welterweight clash. Marquez booked a 117-109, 117-109, 119-108 win over Alvarado. Several boxing enthusiasts started criticizing Marquez after his chest was seen filled with pimples and acne.
Conte, the founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative or BALCO, spent four months in jail after his company was found guilty of producing and distributing anabolic androgenic steroids. He also served a four-month house arrest after he pleaded guilty for conspiracy to distribute steroids and money laundering. Since then Conte has been an outspoken advocate to clean up elite level sports of doping, PED and anabolic steroid use.Nowadays, Conte is involved in research for producing legal ways of making athletes perform better including hypoxic training..
In a statement, Conte blasted drug testing methods performed by the state commissions, inability of the media to report it, and the lack of interest of boxing promoters in cleaning up the sport. Conte went on to remark that promoters of boxing are enabling and promoting the use of performance enhancing drugs in boxing and this is all because of money. He continued that a dark cloud will hover without random testing and added random testing hopefully will become the standard for elite boxers in the near future.
Max Kellerman, the host of Face Off and one of the voices of HBO boxing, also raised his doubts about Juan Manuel Marquez. Kellerman said he is always highly cynical when he sees a guy who gets faster when he gets older and added that we live in a time where even before you get in association with people who have been caught up in scandals involving PEDs, there’s always that cloud of suspicion with a modern athlete who performs well and maybe differently as he gets to an advanced athletic age. Kellerman also remarked there is always that suspicion and that has certainly followed Marquez in recent years, particularly after the (fourth Manny) Pacquiao fight.
However, John Kelvin of Boxing News 24, said the emphatic win was a result of Marquez’s great conditioning and savvy in the ring. The boxing writer said this accusation has been floating around since Marquez linked up with strength and conditioning coach Angel Heredia, before his knockout victory over his great rival Manny Pacquiao. He added Juan Manuel Marquez has never failed a drug test in his career, so there is no evidence to suggest that he is doing anything illegal. In his article, Kelvin remarked it is disrespectful of some fans to throw such damaging accusations at a great fighter who has given so many great nights and fights to the world. Marquez has got to the level he is at in his career due to hard work, determination, and discipline.
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