Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. firmly denied accusations about an intravenous (IV) infusion of saline and vitamins that he took on the night before his bout with Filipino slugger Manny Pacquiao.
The undefeated boxing champ addressed the issue through social media, stating that the reports circulating online were false.
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1/ As already confirmed by the USADA Statement, I did not commit any violations of the Nevada or USADA drug testing guidelines.
— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) September 10, 2015
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2/ I follow and have always followed the rules of Nevada and USADA,
the gold standard of drug testing.— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather)
September
10, 2015
3/ Let's not forget that I was the one six years ago who insisted
on elevating the level of drug testing for all my fights.— Floyd
Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) September
10, 2015
4/ As a result, there is more drug testing and awareness of its
importance in the sport of boxing today than ever before.— Floyd
Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) September
10, 2015
5/ I am very proud to be a clean athlete and will continue to champion
the cause. http://t.co/x8oKjrzlmz—
Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) September
10, 2015
In a statement released by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) on Thursday (September 10), the agency confirmed that Mayweather did not violate any rules by receiving an IV infusion of saline and vitamins.
According to the statement, Mayweather applied for and was granted a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) by USADA for an IV infusion of the said drugs that was administered prior to his May 2 fight against Pacquiao.
The agency pointed out that the boxer’s use of IV infusion was not prohibited by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) at that time, and would not be a violation of their rules today.
The agency also said that once the TUE was granted, NSAC, and Team Pacquiao were immediately notified.
In a report by USA Today, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said that he was outraged, but admitted that he doesn’t know what to do about it and that he could not change the result of the fight.
Arum also said that he was upset upon learning that Mayweather was able to take questionable drugs, while Pacquiao was prohibited to take a perfectly legal injection due to some paperwork discrepancies.
However, Arum confirmed that his lawyers had received the notification regarding Mayweather’s IV infusion at that time.
