TMT Flirting With Possible Warning From USADA
By
rrOats on Mar 20, 2015, 3:14a
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Ironic isn't it?
Floyd Mayweather, the United States Anti-Doping Agency's (USADA) poster child for clean boxing, could be hit with a warning for an anti-doping rules violation (ADRV).
While some observers chuckled at expressed concern over Memo Heredia consulting Alex Ariza, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) may not think it's a laughing matter.
A new "prohibited association" clause was added to the
2015 WADA Code. Article 2.10 prohibited association is briefly touched upon in
The Athletes Reference Guide to the 2015 Code:
"There have been several high-profile examples where athletes have continued to work with coaches who have been banned or with other individuals who have been criminally convicted for providing performance enhancing drugs.
A new feature of the Code taking effect at the start of 2015 makes it an anti-doping rule violation for you to associate with this sort of ‘athlete support person' once you have been specifically warned not to engage in that association."
Please refer to article 2.10 in the 2015 WADA Code for more specifics.
The catch, of course, is Memo has never been convicted for his distribution of performance enhancing drugs. Although he is a self-admitted and proven seller of PEDS, Memo was granted immunity (courtesy of Jeff Novitzky) for his cooperation. Accordingly, Memo went from potential defendant to federal witness/informant.
Still, if Memo was convicted, would his suspension be over by now?
Whatever it may be, the provision of "prohibited association" is intended to keep characters like Memo Heredia away from athletes that are under the Code's authority. Simple association (training, nutrition, or medical advice), either directly with the athlete or any part of the athlete support personal (ASP), is enough to warrant a warning and, if contact continues, a subsequent ADRV will be issued.
As reported by Fighthype, Heredia was consulting Ariza on "presenting power punching for Floyd." Memo believes Mayweather needs to work on his power to compete with Pacquiao. And Memo's work speaks for itself. Heredia said they (team Marquez) needed to knock out Manny to win the fight. So, he constructed a program to increase Marquez's power. It worked. When asked how he did it, Memo said he wouldn't tell because it's his "
bread and butter."
There's a chuckle if you needed one.
Memo's history with performance enhancing drugs is well documented. In the German documentary, "
Die Doping-Drahtzieher Der Leichtathletik" he injects himself with a banned substance. Memo further illustrates how easy it is to get those substances in Mexico. He also worked with USADA during their investigations. Travis Tygart, USADA CEO, compiled
19 pages of notes from his meeting with Memo.
In regards to article 2.10, it's ultimately up to USADA to make the first move. If USADA chooses to act, they will send a letter to Floyd informing him that they believe his continued association with Memo would be an ADRV.
Don't be surprised if Memo or TMT makes a formal statement distancing themselves from each other.
Or not. It all depends on USADA's discernment of the provision and how applicable it is to the given situation.
Sport lawyers have indicated that there is a lot of room for interpretation concerning the "prohibited association" clause. They are unsure of how encompassing it is and how it will be enforced. But one thing is certain. It is intended to keep Memo and those of his likeness away from athletes participating in "protected" events.