Balls.ie understands that drug tests were not conducted following at least two of Zulina Munoz's previous WBC world title fights - this following Irish boxer Christina McMahon's damning claims regarding the anti-doping procedures which followed her own fight with Munoz in March. Here, we explain what this latest development means within the context of a scandal which has been vehemently denied by the WBC on numerous occasions.
Amidst the fallout from a hugely controversial Olympic Games for Irish boxing, news emerged that Monaghan's professional super-flyweight Christina McMahon had been suspended by the the World Boxing Council.
In a tell-all interview, McMahon revealed to this website that she received her suspension via Facebook chat, having spoken out publicly about the farce that was the anti-doping procedure which followed her WBC World super-flyweight clash with home fighter Zulina Munoz in Juarez, Mexico. The full interview, including pictures which show holes at the bottom of the cup McMahon was forced to use following her highly disputable defeat, is available here - and is well worth a glance within the current doping-sceptic sporting climate.
Gonna lash this out plenty as, to my mind, McMahon is one of Ireland's greatest sportswomen. Deserves to be heard. https://t.co/I96Ca5342U
— Gavan Casey (@GavanCasey) August 30, 2016
It's worth noting that these drug tests were only conducted under the insistence of McMahon's team; initially, despite the contractual obligation and rules agreement which had been signed by both parties on fight day, McMahon and co. were told by the WBC's Dr. Soberanes Maya:
We don't do doping tests here.
Makeshift cups were eventually produced for both fighters to urinate in, and despite being told champion Munoz had completed her part of the bargain, Team McMahon remained sceptical and insisted that the champion be tested under proper conditions. A full five days later, Munoz was tested at a clinic in her native Mexico which, contrary to claims by WBC president Mauricio Sulimain, is not listed as an official WADA facility. Her results, as posted to Team McMahon on their return to Ireland, were negative.
Having come under fire from Irish publications such as this website, Irish-boxing.com, the Irish Sun and others, Mauricio Sulimain denied that anything untoward had transpired behind the scenes in Juarez, reiterating on a number of occasions that the promoter on the night had botched the drug tests - seemingly indicating that these farcical post-fight circumstances were no more than a one-off incident which had since been rectified.
The doping test failed to happen due to promoter so WBC did Muñoz 5 days in WADA lab. All was disclosed in PRESS https://t.co/l5QfNnUqsG
— Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) September 9, 2016
The WBC later released this scathing attack on both McMahon and the Irish media, in which they described themselves as "a leader in clean boxing and antidoping testing."
However, Balls.ie now understands that post-fight anti-doping procedures were NOT conducted following at least two of WBC champion Zulina Munoz's previous WBC world title fights. Two former opponents of Munoz have indicated that they faced no drug tests following defeats to 'Loba' in Mexico.
It's important to state that this does not implicate Munoz in a doping scandal of any description. But such flagrant negligence by the WBC begs the question as to how the governing body can possibly depict themselves as trailblazers in the fight to keep boxing clean; one would suggest actually testing the fighters would be a relatively important component of being 'a leader in clean boxing and antidoping testing'.
Intriguingly, the WBC have in the past few hours unveiled their Clean Boxing Programme. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman and Dr. Margaret Goodman (president of VADA, which is contracted by the WBC to oversee random drug testing for its fights) first announced the concept in May. This will see the WBC's top 15-ranked fighters in 17 weight classes sign up to be available for random drug tests 365 days-a-year. 25 eligible fighters, including David Haye and Amir Khan, are yet to sign up for the programme, and have subsequently been removed from the organisation's rankings.
WBC president Mauricio Sulimain said:
The work to get this program started has been monumental, and the WBC wishes to thank all those WBC members, promoters, managers and many others who have actively worked to enroll all fighters.
The WBC is proud of its champions and challengers who have taken a step forward in this historic process to keep our sport clean and, most importantly, to look out for the health of our athletes and the integrity and honorability of our sport.
It's undoubtedly a step forward for the sport, led by an organisation which - to its credit - has revolutionised fighter safety in the past. McMahon, however, remains suspended indefinitely after publicly explaining that the WBC failed to meet their own standards after she threw down with Munoz.
More to follow.
