By Johnny Walker
Former welterweight champion Andre Berto is the latest boxer to test positive for steroids.
According to reports, Berto has confirmed that he tested positive for Nandrolone. Berto had submitted to random drug testing via the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) for his upcoming rematch with “Vicious” Victor Ortiz.
Interestingly, Berto has been working with Victor Conte, who was a central figure in the BALCO steroid scandal. Conte is now frantically tweeting his innocence to all who will listen.
“Andre Berto’s postive test for Nandrolone has absolutely nothing to do with me or any supplements I provided. Likely trace contamination,” said Conte today.
Perhaps. But where there is smoke there is usually fire, and almost every athlete caught juicing has some sort of excuse.
It’s worth asking, is someone convincing boxers like Lamont Peterson and Berto that they can juice and beat the testing, only to have something go wrong?
And why is a man with the history of Victor Conte allowed near boxers in the first place?
There is a stench right now in boxing, a suspicion hanging over the sport that there is far more cheating going on than previously thought.
Juicing is the chemical equivalent of loading your gloves, and should be judged with the same severity that Antonio Margarito suffered when he was caught with illegal hand wraps.
Today we have again seen all kinds of hand-wringing and condemnation from certain boxing authorities over a minor scuffle between David Haye and Dereck Chisora in Germany, but where is the outrage over the issue of performance enhancing drugs?
Sadly, Peterson and Berto may just be the tip of the iceberg.
