By Jody Kohn
Brandon Rios followed up his lopsided loss to Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 23 with a failed drug test following the fight. Rios, who had agreed to be tested by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, tested positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine, which is often used as a dietary supplement as well as a performance-enhancing drug.
“Mr. Rios did not successfully complete the VADA program,” Dr. Margaret Goodman, who heads VADA, said on Friday.
Rios was given the news shortly after the fight, and according to Bob Arum, has already been dealt a suspension. He said he wasn’t sure, but believed it was for either five or six months.
“I can say unequivocally that it was not a steroid-related substance,” Arum told ESPN.com. “It was some substance that was like a minor kind of thing that you’re not supposed to take, something you take for weight loss, like a diuretic. They say it’s not a steroid but it was something you should not have in your urine after a fight. So it went to the [Macau] commission that was in charge of the fight, and they gave him a suspension. He is allowed to appeal.”
The Macau commission was something the WBO set up to oversee the fight because China does not have a boxing commission. The bout between Pacquiao and Rios was contested over one of the organization’s regional titles.
Bob Arum blamed Alex Ariza, the controversial strength and conditioning coach who was working with Rios.
“Brandon had the genius, Ariza, trying to help him make weight,” Arum said. “It is not the fighter’s fault. It’s the people who are conditioning him. He’s following orders on what to eat and drink, so I don’t blame him. Brandon’s not a nutritionist. It’s generally the conditioner’s fault if the kid doesn’t make weight. This is Ariza’s fault.
“The fighter, in my experience, follows religiously what he is told to eat and drink. If he’s being advised by people who consider themselves experts, but who really don’t know shit, that’s when you get in trouble.”
Ariza spoke briefly about the incident late Friday afternoon.
“We disclosed everything we were taking,” Ariza said.
He declined to answer whether or not the result was a surprise. Robert Garcia, the trainer for Rios, said he had spoken to his fighter about the result.
“It was something [in his urine test], but I don’t know what it is,” Garcia said. ” I know Brandon was testing and it was the one after the fight [that he failed]. We have to look into it. We don’t want to have a bad name or a bad reputation.”
Rios had passed all of his tests prior to the fight. Manny Pacquiao was able to successfully complete the program.
“VADA follows its written results management policy and reports all results in writing to the athlete, promoter, [Association of Boxing Commissions] and the relevant commissions, who can confirm individual results,” Goodman said.
“VADA also publicly reports when an athlete has successfully completed the program. VADA’s role is to administer high-quality testing. It is not our role to determine whether or not disciplinary action is appropriate.”
