Writer types like to take the easy route and do the shooting the fish in the barrel thing, regularly slaying boxing’s sanctioning bodies for idiotic and unethical behavior, while looking the other way and remaining mum when their sources, be they promoters or fighters or executives, make screwups.
Often, the alphabet soup folks deserve scorn. But they don’t get enough credit when they do the right thing such as with the WBC’s tougher testing policy. Here is the release the WBC sent out which lays out their progress.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, together with VADA President Dr. Margaret Goodman, officially announced the Clean Boxing Program on May 5, 2016, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The enrollment process began on that date in which all WBC champions and the top 15 ranked contenders have to mandatorily enroll in the Clean Boxing Program (CBP).
The CBP section of random out of competition testing is administered by VADA and the unannounced testing to eligible fighters performed through the VADA process and procedures.
The enrollment process, which began on May 5, was also extended until today, as the ratings for October are being released, and those fighters who did not enroll have been taken out of the WBC ratings.
The work to get this program started has been monumental, and the WBC wishes to thank all those WBC members, promoters, managers, and many others who have actively worked to enroll all fighters. The leadership of Luis Escalona and Margaret Goodman has been exemplary.
There have been some problems, mostly with translation and language barriers, and there will certainly be adjustments during the process. There will be additional adjustments, and this will be an evolving program with the goal to provide as much protection to our athletes worldwide.
“Within 15 days of publication of the monthly ratings, any boxer entering the top 15 must directly or through his management or promoter, through an authorized representative of the WBC’s Clean Boxing Program (CBP) must fulfil all mandatory requirements to enter the CBP. The boxer must enroll in the program, or he shall be removed from the ratings and be unavailable to fight for any WBC-affiliated title until such time as he properly enroll.”
Any party wishing to address any specific case will be able to do so through the proper channels by communicating in writing to Luis Escalona at luiswbc@aol.com, and WBC Legal Counsel Alberto Leon at al@aleonlaw.com.
The WBC is proud of its champions and challengers who have taken a step forward in this historic process to keep our sport clean and most importantly to look out for the health of our athletes and the integrity and honorability of our sport.
FIGHTERS WHO DID NOT ENROLL IN THE CBP:
David Haye – England – Heavyweight
Jean Pascal – Canada – Light Heavyweight
Jose Uzcategui – Venezuela – Super Middleweight
Gabriel Rosado – USA – Middleweight
Vanes Martirosyan – Armenia – Super Welterweight
Daquan Arnett – USA – Super Welterweight
Amir Khan – England – Welterweight
Lamont Peterson – USA – Welterweight
Rances Barthelemy – Cuba – Super Lightweight
Felix Verdejo – Puerto Rico – Lightweight
Emiliano Marsili – Italy – Lightweight
Henry Lundy – USA – Lightweight
Yuriorkis Gamboa – Cuba – Super Featherweight
Hairon Socarras – Cuba – Featherweight
Cesar Juarez – Mexico – Super Bantamweight
Edivaldo Ortega – Mexico – Super Bantamweight
Emanuel Navarrete – Mexico – Bantamweight
Gideon Buthelezi – South Africa – Flyweight
Brian Viloria – USA – Flyweight
Moises Calleros – Mexico – Light Flyweight
Javier Mendoza – Mexico – Flyweight
Angel Acosta – Puerto Rico – Light Flyweight
Janiel Rivera – Puerto Rico – Minimumweight
Carlos Buitrago – Nicaragua – Minimumweight
Simphiwe Khonco – South Africa – Minimumweight
