Saturday, May 14, 2016

Time To Face Facts - Povetkin Should Be Punished If He Broke The Rules

Look, I've got nothing against Alexander Povetkin. He's a talented guy and it's nice to see a fighter get a big chance like Povetkin has/had against Deontay Wilder. Still, VADA, which is led by the serious Dr. Margaret Goodman, claims that Povetkin tested positive for meldonium last month. For those who don't know, meldonium is a recently banned substance that reportedly allows users to  keep exerting themselves more than they normally would.

Clearly, this is a big deal when it comes to a dangerous physical contest like boxing. Still, there are those out there who claim meldonium is really no big deal, that it's "probably" not even going to make that much difference for an athlete. Funny word, "probably." It doesn't make one feel quite as confident as the word "definitely" does.

Here's the thing - it doesn't matter if meldonium is dangerous, possibly harmless or completely harmless. Why? Because it's a banned substance and athletes - professional fighters, in particular - shouldn't be using banned substances. Those that do need to pay the consequences.

Now, none of this is to say Povetkin is actually guilty in all of this. He's still able to get a "B" sample run to prove whether he's broken the rules or not. People need to be fair, even in boxing. If the man did break the rules, however, then there should be no tisking or eye rolling. Those who might have a problem with the rules should take it up with WADA - the international anti doping organization. They shouldn't gripe about the stupidity of a public that feels those rules shouldn't be broken

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