Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
WBN Editor
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| (Picture by Damien Acevedo) |
Drugs threatening the sport, says fighter
Former world middleweight title challenger Matthew Macklin has
expressed his worry in the wake of months of scandals surrounding drug-test
failures in the sport in Britain and abroad.
Macklin, 30, has watched in amazement as fighter after
fighter gets caught out in 2012 and believes that the authorities should take a
hard line on anyone caught attempting to gain an advantage over their opponent.
“I think that if the powers that be in boxing don’t clampdown
hard and fast on PED's (performance enhancing drugs), then there’s a real
danger that it’s going to get completely out of hand!” Macklin told World
Boxing News.
“There’s a danger that it could get to the stage where more and
more boxers are using them, not because they're trying to cheat, but because
they fear everyone else is and therefore just want a level playing field.
“I think the only answer is random drug testing all year
round and once a fight is signed, then there should definitely be several random
tests up until the fight,” he added.
The Irishman is due to return in September after pushing
Sergio Martinez for eleven rounds in March and could tackle Canadian David
Lemieux-conqueror Joachim Alcine in his second fight under Lou DiBella.