German TV promoter, network doing their part to clean up the sport

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by BigReg, Mar 25, 2010.


  1. BigReg

    BigReg Broad Street Bully Full Member

    38,117
    5
    Jun 26, 2007
    http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/m...13_german_tv_has_plan_to_clean_up_boxing.html

    This content is protected
    -
    This content is protected
    was onto something when he asked that both he and
    This content is protected
    submit to Olympic style drug testing before the two met in the ring in a proposed welterweight mega fight.

    Of course Pacquiao refused and the fight fell apart, which led to Pacquiao fighting
    This content is protected
    in a 12-round welterweight match at Cowboys Stadium Saturday night.

    In January German public television network ARD extended its contract with Sauerland Boxing through 2015 and added a stipulation that all of the boxers in the
    This content is protected
    -based boxing stable, and their opponents, undergo Olympic Style drug testing as a condition of fighting on the network.
    "We have a partner who has a lineup of world-class athletes, is a role model as far as drug testing is concerned and also is actively involved in charity as well as youth development programs," said
    This content is protected
    , ARD director of programming. "We have a lot of young viewers and people who normally do not watch ARD - this is very important to us since we are there for everyone."

    There was much kicking and screaming on the part of Pacquiao and his representatives about Mayweather trying to dictate a drug testing protocol to them.
    This content is protected
    , Pacquiao's promoter, believes that any call for more stringent drug testing should come from the various state commissions and not the participants in the sport. But it seems ARD, which holds some major purse strings for boxing in
    This content is protected
    , has filled the void in a way that state commissions can't or won't.

    This content is protected
    , general manager of Sauerland Boxing, said the network was reacting to public backlash over the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports, particularly in cycling. Meyer said the drug tests are conducted by the
    This content is protected
    under the auspices of the
    This content is protected
    .

    "I know we owe this to the public. We're with ARD, it is a public-owned company, which means there is no private financing," Meyer said. "This is public money and has a different moral approach to be spent in a different way than private money. The moral standard is higher. Working with such a TV company means we have to fulfill these standards."

    Thus far only one Sauerland boxer has run afoul of the newly instituted testing rule.
    This content is protected
    of
    This content is protected
    lost his shot at
    This content is protected
    's IBF Middleweight Title after testing positive for banned substances during a random training test. He was replaced by
    This content is protected
    , who suffered a tenth-round TKO on Jan. 30.


    Sauerland represents two boxers,
    This content is protected
    and
    This content is protected
    , who are involved in the Super Six Boxing tournament, a three-year, 168-pound round-robin that is currently being conducted in the
    This content is protected
    and
    This content is protected
    and is being broadcast in America by Showtime. Abraham and Kessler have agreed to the German NADA protocols, which calls for athletes to inform testers of their whereabouts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

    The U.S. boxers involved in the tournament have not been asked to undergo the Olympic style drug testing . . . yet.

    "We obviously have no problem if it was something that was stipulated," said
    This content is protected
    , who promotes
    This content is protected
    , a gold medalist for the U.S. team in the
    This content is protected
    . Ward's first fight in the tournament was held in
    This content is protected
    .

    Sauerland Promotions, which bears the cost of the testing, is the only boxing company which has agreed to such a far-reaching drug testing program, which could become the wave of the future.
    Meyer said thus far none of the boxers has balked at the testing, though they aren't happy about being on 24-hour alert to the German NADA testers.

    "The first thing was, "Oh God, additional obligations and demands," Meyer said. "They have to follow a certain protocol. It is not minute-by-minute, but they should be traceable and available by phone. It's an inconvenience that they're not happy with. We pay them but our money comes from TV. If we don't get a TV deal then they may have a problem earning money."

    Mayweather and
    This content is protected
    will fight in
    This content is protected
    on May 1. The
    This content is protected
    has not asked for additional testing, but Mayweather and Mosley have agreed to undergo Olympic style testing before the match. It is a first for professional boxing in the U.S., and they're to be applauded for their stand.

    ARD and Sauerland are already a step ahead.
    "This is a milestone for boxing," Meyer said. "We have agreed to thorough testing. We have a zero-tolerance policy towards doping."
     
  2. BigReg

    BigReg Broad Street Bully Full Member

    38,117
    5
    Jun 26, 2007
    ARD is clearly dedicated to ensuring a level playing field for the athletes that compete on their network. Year round testing is a great way of keeping that playing field level. Good job ARD and Sauderland.:good
     
  3. Jack

    Jack Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    22,560
    67
    Mar 11, 2006
    Good for them.

    I don't think Europeans really have a history of PED abuse. In most sports, such as athletics, boxing etc., the biggest demographic of people to get caught have been black Americans. It's good for the sport but I'll be happier when it's more widespread, especially in America.
     
  4. BigReg

    BigReg Broad Street Bully Full Member

    38,117
    5
    Jun 26, 2007
    That's because the sports the test athletes in America are dominated by blacks. Hockey is basically all white and they don't test. Only 9% of MLB players are black and they just started testing a couple of year ago.
     
  5. Jack

    Jack Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    22,560
    67
    Mar 11, 2006
    I mean percentage wise, rather than just the pure number of people caught. Black people have better genetics for strength and speed, which are boosted the most by PED's, whereas PED's don't really favour other races as much, because the sports they are perfect for are different, usually involving more endurance. I'm talking long distance running, swimming, cycling and so on.
     
  6. BigReg

    BigReg Broad Street Bully Full Member

    38,117
    5
    Jun 26, 2007
    You're talking out of your ass Jack. Cyclists, for example, are some of the biggest dopers out there. Cheating in cycling is the whole reason ADR is instituting this testing. PED usage is big in baseball, and most of the guys doing it are not black americans. And if blacks are stronger and faster as you say, wouldn't other races be more likely to use PEDs in order to keep up?
     
  7. haglerwon

    haglerwon Official GTMSBT Marquez Full Member

    218
    0
    May 1, 2009
    I really have a hard time seeing what's so controversial about this. As far as I'm concerned there is no valid objection to having the best testing regime possible.

    Boxing comes under more scrutiny and suspicion from the general public anyway because of its fundamentally violent nature, and there are occasional calls for it to be banned in certain countries and by certain medical organizations. It's in boxing's own interests to take the lead on this in order to cut-off any unnecessary criticism before that criticism gets a chance to develop any momentum.

    You can tell the real nuthuggers because their love for their boy is so huge that they're prepared to put the entire reputation of boxing itself at risk in order to try and protect him from criticism. Yeah, Floyd can be a grade-A ****wit at times, but on this issue he is 100% correct. Even a stopped clock ... etc.

    Props to Sauerland and ARD for seeing this all in enough detail to get out ahead of the curve. They've clearly noticed that boxing's on a bit of a roll in Germany and have had the foresight to protect their investment before it becomes an issue. Props to Abraham and Kessler for jumping-in too.
     
  8. haglerwon

    haglerwon Official GTMSBT Marquez Full Member

    218
    0
    May 1, 2009
    Mate, the pre iron-curtain-collapse eastern-bloc countries pretty much invented the practice. Check the stats on cyclists as well. It's not a black-white or Euro-American issue.
     
  9. Phirsole

    Phirsole Member Full Member

    458
    0
    Sep 28, 2009
    Hats off to ARD and Sauerland. A good start for the sport.
     
  10. Jack

    Jack Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    22,560
    67
    Mar 11, 2006
    Actually, the usage of drugs in cycling isn't that high but there is always a big deal made over the testing because of how strict it is, but not that many get caught. It's just always been highly reported, especially in recent years with Lance Armstrong. As a sport, it's not too bad though. There's only endurance drugs they need to test for anyway.

    That's true about baseball, but, like you said, few black people play it, so it will be low. Percentage wise, it should be pretty similar to all the other races who play baseball.

    Not more likely, no. We know that the very best, such as Shane Mosley, who was pound for pound, Marion Jones, considered the best female sprinter ever, and many others have cheated. Whilst there are those who want it a lot, the best want to stay the best just as much, because power is the most addictive drug in the world.
     
  11. Jack

    Jack Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    22,560
    67
    Mar 11, 2006
    I kind of agree. I know my post brought race into it, but that wasn't to instigate anything, I just see it as a fact. To me, it's not simply that black Americans cheat more, it's the fact that the sports which black Americans are genetically predetermined to excel at, benefit most from PED's.

    There are many different strength enhancing drugs, but far less stamina increasing drugs. So black Americans who are built for short events will be caught more, but I'm not flat put saying "black American's are cheats".

    There is definetly a higher percentage of black Americans who get caught though, than any other race/nationality. Americans are more competitive from an early age, which plays a big part. It's obviously looking at college American football players that they are into heavy drugs, so it's being forced on them, much like the former East German or Russian athletes, lime you said.
     
  12. BigReg

    BigReg Broad Street Bully Full Member

    38,117
    5
    Jun 26, 2007

    If you're claiming, percentage wise, the PED usage in baseball is equal amongst all races; how can you then turn around in claim that PED usage, percentage wise, is highest amongst blacks in sports as a whole? Your argument seems pretty baseless and boderline racist. And your dead wrong about cyclists. 4 guys tested positive for PEDs at the 2007 Tour De France alone.
     
  13. BigReg

    BigReg Broad Street Bully Full Member

    38,117
    5
    Jun 26, 2007
    Do you have data to back up this claim?
     
  14. BigReg

    BigReg Broad Street Bully Full Member

    38,117
    5
    Jun 26, 2007
    Check out these articles Jack.

    http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/pdf/92_PDF.pdf

    http://www.steroidabuse.com/steroid-abuse-in-sports.html
     
  15. Robney

    Robney ᴻᴼ ᴸᴼᴻᴳᴲᴿ ᴲ۷ᴵᴸ Full Member

    93,152
    27,874
    Jan 18, 2010
    Cycling is the main reason that the ARD want's drug testing by all the sports they show on their network.
    The 'Tour de France' was banned of the channel in the middle because of the dope scandals. In the USA it's mostly track athletes and baseball players who are caught, but in Europe it's the cyclists, cross country skiers and weight lifters who are known substance abusers.

    And I just read a comment about the Eastern Europe countries during the Iron Curtain days... Yes that was very, very bad... Only in that time the USA was almost just as bad, take the '84 and '88 olympics for instance... Remember when Ben Johnson got caught? The numbers 2 and 3 got away with just as much stuff in their systems...