Banned substance found in Valdez sample
Oscar Valdez’s A sample tested positive for phentermine, a central nervous system stimulant banned by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.
Valdez is scheduled to defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) 130-pound title against Robson Conceicao on September 10 in Tucson, Arizona.
The WBC will hold a Zoom meeting Wednesday with Valdez’s attorney, Pat English, along with Top Rank and Arizona commission officials, sources said. A ruling is expected thereafter.
Top Rank declined to comment, as did Valdez’s manager, Frank Espinoza, and WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman. VADA founder Margaret Goodman did not return a phone call seeking comment.
VADA informed the parties involved of the test result on Sunday, sources said. The test was conducted as part of the WBC’s Clean Boxing Program.
“I personally have given phentermine to athletes, I know what it does. It’s very powerful. It’s like methamphetamine,” Victor Conte, founder of BALCO, told ESPN. Conte served time in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute performance-enhancing drugs before founding SNAC, a sports nutrition company.
“You know why it’s a performance-enhancing drug? Because it’s a central nervous system stimulant,” he added. “It speeds up your heart rate. It gives you energy. It gives you endurance. It makes it easier to breathe. Your training time to exhaustion would be much longer.
When fighters sign up for VADA testing, as Valdez did, they are notified that there is no distinction between in-competition and out-of-competition. A list of banned substances (phentermine is included) is sent to the fighter.
The World Anti-Doping Agency considers phentermine to be a prohibited substance in-competition, but not out-of-competition. The in-competition period begins at 11:59 p.m. the day before the fight and extends to post-fight testing. However, VADA tests for all banned substances at all times.
“If they don’t test you for stimulants, there’s a loophole so big you can drive a Mack truck through it,” Conte said. “Which of the 70 stimulants would you like to use?”
“Mr. Valdez didn’t know he was taking phentermine and that we believe at this point comes from an herbal tea.”
“It’s not an herbal tea, the molecular structure of phentermine is not an herbal tea,” Conte said. “It’s a dog eat my homework thing. No developer wants to lose money. This is not in contained supplements. It’s designed to help you lose weight. It’s an appetite suppressant, which is what you’re doing when you’re cutting weight.
“It’s a prescription drug – does it have a doctor’s prescription? Let’s look at it.”
VADA reports adverse analytical findings; it does not adjudicate. However, there is precedent for VADA rules leading to punishment. Billy Joe Saunders tested positive for the banned stimulant oxilofrine prior to his scheduled title defense against Demetrius Andrade in 2018. The substance was deemed out of competition by WADA, but Massachusetts recognized the VADA violation and suspended Saunders. As a result, the fight was canceled.
Valdez, a 30-year-old Mexican, could opt to open his B sample following the ruling.
“I had no idea. I’m upset,” said Sergio Batarelli, Conceicao’s manager in Brazil. “I know it now from you by surprise.”
Valdez, ESPN’s No. 1 junior lightweight, won the title with a spectacular one-punch knockout over Miguel Berchelt in February, the year’s top KO contender. The two-time Olympian was also a 126-pound champion.
Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs) was defeated by Conceicao when they met in the 2009 Pan American championship gold medal fight.
