Comments Thread For: Oscar Valdez: I Have Never Used Banned Substances To Improve My Performance

[Robbie Barrett]

There's a reason why this chemical is on VADA banned list.

Because they just printed out the WADA list and left out the exceptions?

[Nightfall]

The WBC pretty much sent a message that fighters can cheat

[PBR Streetgang]

So if the WDA (World Doping Agency) allows its use 'outside of competition' then what is determined to be 'outside'? Not in camp? Not within an official signed fight contract period?

Sounds inconsistent and vague, although we all know weight loss aids are used extensively by athletes in combat sports.

If it were a universal rule with clear parameters, then I would welcome it, as I believe blanket banning of all substances ALL the time is ridiculously unrealistic.

According to WADA, "In-competition refers to the period commencing at 11:59 pm on the day before a competition in which the athlete is scheduled to compete through the end of such competition and the sample collection process related to such competition."

So, in-competition is essentially the day of the fight up until the point where they collect samples post-fight. Pretty narrow window.

For whatever reason, this incident has led me to look more into WADA, USADA, VADA and other elements of doping regulation. As I learn more, it's incredibly interesting. I am no expert but this is what I learned:

WADA, an institution that was formed thru the International Olympic Committee, has generated a list of banned substances, about 70 of which are only banned "in-competition". VADA, a testing intermediary, prohibit those items. USADA, another testing intermediary, doesn't test for those 70 items at all.

That doesn't necessarily mean VADA is more stringent...USADA testing is 24/7/365. VADA testing is only for whatever length of time that has been agreed upon.

An analogy that works for me is to compare them to fish nets. The USADA net has bigger holes but is out in the water the whole time, the VADA net has smaller holes but is only in the water for however long those involved decide it's in the water. It's a matter of debate which net is going to catch the more important fish....talk to Victor Conte and he will say VADA. Talk to Memo Heredia or Jeff Novitsky (investigator in BALCO case) and they will say USADA.

[The Big Dunn]

When you see athletes release statements like this you have to read carefully. Bob clearly wrote this.

Valdez didn’t say he didn’t use banned substances, he said he didn’t use them to enhance his performance.

In other words- yeah I used it. I got caught. So Bob and the WBC lawyers came up with this legalese that is worded in such a way that it doesn’t make the VADA testing program look like a complete joke. I’m just asking you to believe I used it for “non performance” purposes.

I wouldn’t be surprised if espn’s management refuses to let coppinger dig into the story anymore.

Well at least the native Americans get their dough.

[Corelone]

So name the brand of tea that is a source of this chemical.

He's supposed to name the tea, he drank it not me. If you claim tea gave you a drug habit, produce the tea.

[richardt]

Someone should have asked him "But did you use it to lose weight, then?"

[Corelone]

Nice to see that almost every poster is on the same page with regards to this

I picked Valdez to beat Belchert. I went against the current and even bragged about it, but when I get tricked, or fooled, I'll turn on a dime. Valdez should fess up, admit what happened, quit the lawyer's tea fairy tale. Tell the truth and accept the consequences.

[elfag]

yeah he accidentally took an obscure prescription only weight loss amphetamine drug. a controlled substance that he somehow got with no prescription and inadvertently ingested.

Its a mere coincidence he is in a sport with weight divisions where a weight loss drug, the one from Phen-Phen from back in the day, got in his system, a drug that could help him make weight but he never intentionally took this to make weight.

ok dude


just stop all PED testing then. Positive results dont mean anything if the fight is big enough and people stand to lose money. How much did Arum pay off the commission to allow this fight to continue? They've canceled fights over nasal sprays before and now Arum's fighter can go on after using amphetamines.

[elfag]

I would have preferred he admitted to taking phentermine outside of camp to aid in weight loss, but it doesn't really add up. I would assume fighters would be taking this stuff just prior to camp or at the very beginning - especially those who fight three, four, or more weight classes below their walk-around weight.

'Phentermine has some similarity in its pharmacodynamics with its parent compound, amphetamine, as they both are TAAR1 agonists'

Amphetamines are a class of drug. Its not just "some similarity", it literally IS a type of amphetamine. The same that adderall, meth ect are all part of the amphetamine class.

Phentermine was in that drug "Fen-Phen" in the 90s if you remember hearing about it in the news. It was a prescription only weight loss drug given to obese people. It will boost metabolism and burn fat. But it turns out giving obese people not one but TWO amphetamines in one pill was causing them to have heart attacks and heart problems, surprise there. So it was pulled from the market and had lawsuits. Because of the bad reputation it got, you dont really hear much about phetermine anymore.



But the key here in how absurd this whole thing is and them claiming there was no benefit to it, is this WAS PRESCRIBED AS A WEIGHT LOSS DRUG, they KNOW it helps cut weight, it increases calories burned, it curbs your appettite ect. just as all the amphetamine class drugs do. Its also highly regulated as a controlled substance so unlikely to be out there in contaminated products in big quan******.

[elfag]

detection windows are only a few days. They thought they could take this to help his cut and not get caught. You could take it in the begining of the week and by the end of the week have clean piss/blood. With whatever maskers they were using probably even less than a few days.