Victor Conte’s Defense of Athletes
Victor Conte, a prominent anti-doping advocate and the founder of SNAC, has firmly defended the integrity of his athletes, particularly world champions Terence Crawford and Devin Haney, amidst continuing whispers and doubts tied to his controversial past during the BALCO doping scandal. With nearly two decades of commitment to anti-doping initiatives, Conte made his position clear in a recent, forthright statement addressed to allegations questioning the clean status of his fighters.
Conte’s Role in Anti-Doping
He asserted that his role in the anti-doping framework is strictly to facilitate participation in established programs, not to influence testing standards or processes.
“It’s important to clarify this in the interest of full transparency,”
Conte expressed. He emphasized his advocacy against doping, dating back to 2005, reiterating that a search online would validate his activism.
Conte also noted his consultations with regulatory bodies such as WADA, USADA, and VADA, stressing he has provided guidance without having any operational control over VADA’s procedures.
“I have enrolled numerous boxers in VADA, but my input does not extend to their operations,”
he claimed, dismissing any unfounded claims otherwise.
Commitment to Clean Sport
Both Crawford, who recently achieved undisputed champion status in a second weight class and is gearing up to face Canelo Alvarez on September 13, and Haney, who is set to contend for the WBO welterweight title against Brian Norman in November, have undergone rigorous drug testing through VADA and have maintained clean records throughout their careers.
Conte acknowledged the skepticism surrounding him, linking it to his past but remained firm in asserting that he solely facilitates the enrollment of boxers who are committed to competing fairly.
“People are capable of transformation, and I am being completely open about my efforts. SNAC fosters clean athletes, representing a modern approach to training,”
he stated.
Conclusion
As boxing grapples with ongoing concerns about doping, Conte’s commitment to clean sport appears increasingly significant. His efforts serve to safeguard the reputations of current boxing elite, countering any negative fallout from his previous associations with doping controversies, including notable instances like the Shane Mosley case.
Phil Jay, a seasoned boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience, has chronicled the sport extensively and serves as the Editor-in-Chief for World Boxing News, where he has conducted interviews with countless champions and covered major boxing events.
