Nonprofit anti-doping group hopes to educate fighters, keep sport clean

For years, Dr. Margaret Goodman has been at the forefront in trying to keep boxing safe and drug-free. The former ringside physician has taken on a new challenge -- leading the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency, which serves as a testing vehicle and an educational forum for boxers and mixed martial artists.

"We're trying to expand what athletic commissions do," Goodman said. "It's difficult for the commissions to oversee drug testing."

VADA, a nonprofit organization that models itself after the United States Anti-Doping Agency, is randomly testing Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto in advance of their Feb. 11 rematch at the MGM Grand Garden. The testing, which costs $5,000 to $10,000 per fighter, is being done at no cost to the boxers. Goodman said Golden Boy Promotions, which promotes Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 knockouts), and DiBella Entertainment, which promotes Berto (28-1, 22 KOs), offered to pay for the costs.

"We're doing it at our own expense to show the services we're offering, sort of like a trial run," Goodman said. "We're hoping it will lead to more boxers and MMA fighters taking part in the program.

"It's not just about making sure there's a level playing field and the fighters are clean. Education is a big part of this. We're going to give fighters information on what's going on inside their bodies from the tests we do on them."

Goodman said the tests are being conducted for steroids, EPO, abnormal testosterone levels and other banned substances on the World Anti-Doping Agency list. The samples are being analyzed at the laboratory at UCLA with the same strict protocols used in Olympic-style testing.

Goodman, who is working with former Nevada Athletic Commission chairman Dr. Flip Homansky on the VADA project, also has consulted with former Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative head Victor Conte. Goodman said Conte is not involved with VADA but that his knowledge on the subject has been helpful in getting the program off the ground.

Goodman said trying to keep up with the chemists who produce undetectable steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs is always going to be a challenge. But if VADA can get boxers to not attempt to cheat, Goodman said the program will have been a success.

"It's not about catching the cheaters," Goodman said. "It's about preventing athletes from becoming cheaters."

■ CASAMAYOR SUSPENDED -- The NAC revoked 40-year-old Joel Casamayor's boxing license for one year and fined him $10,000 after his failure to answer a complaint against him for testing positive for marijuana after his Nov. 12 loss to Timothy Bradley at the MGM Grand Garden.

The commission voted 5-0 to ban Casamayor from fighting in Nevada after he failed to appear at Wednesday's meeting. In addition to the sanctions, Casamayor (38-6-1, 22 KOs) would have to undergo drug testing and provide a negative test result should he decide to apply for a license in Nevada in the future.

Also, middleweight Matt Vanda (44-14, 24 KOs) was placed on temporary suspension after testing positive for marijuana. Marco Antonio Rubio (53-5-1, 46 KOs) stopped Vanda in the fifth round of their Dec. 16 bout at Mandalay Bay.

■ RIGONDEAUX-RAMOS OFFICIALS -- Las Vegas referee Joe Cortez was selected to work Friday's WBA super bantamweight title fight between Rico Ramos (20-0, 11 KOs) and Guillermo Rigondeaux (8-0, six KOs) at the Palms. The three judges, all from Nevada, will be Adalaide Byrd, Burt Clements and Dick Houck.

■ DESPAIGNE OUT -- The highly anticipated rematch between heavyweights Edison Miranda and Yordanis Despaigne that was scheduled for Feb. 3 at Texas Station is off after Despaigne claimed he was not mentally prepared to fight.

On July 29, Despaigne (9-2, four KOs) was awarded a win after Miranda was disqualified for repeated low blows in the fifth round. Instead, Miranda (35-6, 30 KOs) will face Isaac Chilemba (18-1-1, nine KOs) in the 10-round main event, which will be televised on ESPN2 as part of its "Friday Night Fights" series. Tickets are $25 and $50, with the first bell at 6 p.m.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.