Morales Says USADA Cleared him for fight w/Garcia !

Source NY DAILY News :

The third drug test might have been the charm for Erik Morales, the four-time world champion from Mexico who is challenging Danny Garcia for the WBC junior welterweight title at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday night.

After testing positive for the banned substance clenbuterol on random tests given by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) on Oct. 4 and Oct. 10, Morales tested negative for the drug in a test that was administered on Wednesday, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. That could save the main event of a show that promoters are billing as the start to reviving big-time boxing in Brooklyn.

The substance can be used as a weight-loss supplement and is considered a performance-enhancer.

Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, and Melvina Lathan, chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, could not be reached for comment on whether Morales had passed the drug test he took on Wednesday, or whether he would remain on the card.

In an interview earlier on Friday afternoon, Schaefer said the parties were awaiting results from USADA on the most recent test and that depending upon those results, Morales’ fate would be in the hands of Lathan and Garcia and Garcia’s father, Angel. Schaefer said he expected to have the results late Friday evening or early Saturday morning.

Morales suggested the positive test was the result of eating contaminated meat, an explanation other athletes have offered for a positive clenbuteral test, but Angel Garcia said his son would not go through with the fight if the results of Morales’ latest test came back positive.

If Morales had tested positive again, “the fight’s over,” Garcia said. “Why do that? I love Danny too much. It doesn’t mean nothing to me. His life is too important to me. Why give (Morales) the advantage? Danny could (still beat him up) anywhere he wants to do it.”

Both fighters discussed the matter on Friday during a spirited weigh-in at the Barclays Center, where Garcia jawed at Morales and threatened to dominate him on Saturday. Morales seemed to take it all in stride. Both fighters made the 140-pound weight limit, Garcia at 139.8 and Morales at 139.2.

Morales admitted he may have tested positive for a banned substance, but said it was due to food contamination, not to gain a competitive edge.

Morales also claimed that he had spoken to an official of USADA on Friday who he said “assured” him that the banned substance turned up in such small levels that it wasn’t cause for concern and that it was most likely related to consuming contaminated food.

“I just spoke with USADA, and I don’t have to tell you guys, but they said not to worry,” Morales said through an interpreter. "You are not guilty and the (New York State Athletic) commission has already accepted the fight, so the fight is on,’” he said the USADA official told him. “I’ve been facing great fighters like (Manny) Pacquiao and (Marco Antonio) Barrera and I never failed a drug test. I’m clean. I asked the (USADA) guy, ‘Do you think this is related to food or something?’ Until now, we don’t know, but everything shows it should be food.”

Schaefer said USADA explained to him that the trace amount of clenbuteral could have come from tainted beef and that is why it tested Morales multiple times.

“It was an amount that was lower than the amount that was found in Mexican soccer players who tested positive in Mexico and they were cleared by WADA because they had eaten contaminated meat," Schaefer said. “It was a positive test (of Morales), but USADA has to make sure. And when they find out exactly they’re going to disclose the results.



Discuss .

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlsXU0S9SNE[/ame]