USADA: Mayweather-Pacquiao Handled Properly

The United States Anti-Doping Agency says it acted appropriately when its employees allowed Floyd Mayweather to receive an intravenous injection that included saline and vitamins the night before his May 2 fight with Manny Pacquiao.

A story posted Sept. 9 by SB Nation raises concerns about how USADA handled the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight as well as other recent fights. USADA said the story and others along the same line were not accurate.

In a Sept. 10 statement, USADA said the Nevada State Athletic Commission had granted a Therapeutic Use Exemption allowing Mayweather to receive the IV.

"As was already publicly reported in May of this year by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Mr. Mayweather applied for and was granted a Therapeutic Use Exemption by USADA for an IV infusion of saline and vitamins that was administered prior to his May 2 fight against Manny Pacquiao," said the statement from USADA, which has handled drug testing and enforcement for 45 professional fights in the past six years. "Mr. Mayweather's use of the IV was not prohibited under the NSAC rules at that time and would not be a violation of the NSAC rules today.  

"Nonetheless, because Mr. Mayweather was voluntarily taking part in a USADA program, and therefore subject to the rules of the (World Anti-Doping Agency) Code, he took the additional step of applying for a TUE after the IV infusion was administered in order (to) remain in compliance with the USADA program. Although Mr. Mayweather's application was not approved until after his fight with Mr. Pacquiao and all test results were reported, Mr. Mayweather did disclose the infusion to USADA in advance of the IV being administered to him. Furthermore, once the TUE was granted, the NSAC and Mr. Pacquiao were immediately notified even though the practice is not prohibited under NSAC rules."

Currently federal bills have been introduced that would see USADA oversee drug testing for U.S. horse racing.

USADA said when it oversees a boxing match the involved fighters agree to follow WADA Code and noted that it has many detractors in the sport.

"As a result, every athlete who has participated in one of our programs has voluntarily agreed to abide by the rules of the WADA Code and willingly subjected themselves to substantially more stringent testing protocols than they otherwise would have been subject to," the statement said. "There are certainly those in the sport of professional boxing who appear committed to preventing an independent and comprehensive anti-doping program from being implemented in the sport, and who wish to advance an agenda that fails to put the interests of clean athletes before their own. Despite that opposition, we will continue to demonstrate to the clean athletes we serve, the sport partners we work with, and all those who share the ideal of fair competition, that we remain committed to our mission of protecting the rights of clean athletes and the integrity of competition."