"They said they're not scheduled to test Manny until he gets to China...Nobody over here thinks that Manny is doing anything illegal. I for sure don't and know that he's not. Once again, it wasn't an issue until unfortunately they started opening themselves up and started talking about it. I think they just kind of disclosed a little too much information that maybe they shouldn't have. Again, what does bother me a little bit is that I did speak with a few different people and I don't know why she might lie about it," stated world-class Strength & Conditioning Coach Alex Ariza, who had a lot of questions about VADA's testing policies after they made a random visit to the gym to collect sample from Brandon Rios. Apparently, during that time, representatives of VADA revealed to Team Rios that Manny Pacquiao has yet to be tested and there were no plans to test him until he arrived in China roughly one week before the fight. Although VADA President Margaret Goodman denies that claim, there are still a lot of valid questions that Ariza brings up, so you don't want to miss what we had to say.
BT: What's up Double A? You know I had to call you to find out what the heck is going on with VADA. I heard some craziness went down when they visited the gym today. Give me the scoop. What happened?
AA: It was a big media day at Robert's gym today. Showtime was there; there was a lot of media there and VADA happened to show up. I think maybe they were just killing two birds with one stone because Nonito [Donaire] was going to be training later on that day. Anyway, they came in and they posted up shop. Brandon came in so they were doing the testing, but again, there was so much media there. I've been around WADA for awhile, not VADA but WADA, when they were testing Amir [Khan], and they always took him in the back and they did it in a private, sterile, well, as sterile as you can get area, and very rarely do they do it so openly like that. So they were exposed to all the media and everybody in the gym. Somebody made a joke and said, "Oh, they saw Mikey's picture, so they came here to start testing Brandon." You know, just make random jokes. Then Brandon says, "Yeah, this is my second time already." So then somebody from the media just shot out, "Hey, when did Manny get tested?" And then they just happened to say, "Well, we haven't tested Manny yet." So that just kicked off a firestorm of questions, and not even from us, but from everybody else. Of course Brandon is like, "What? Why hasn't he been tested?" Then Robert started asking questions about why Manny hasn't been tested, and they just kind of shrugged their shoulders and said, "I don't know." Then they said they're not scheduled to test Manny until he gets to China.
BT: Until he gets to China? When is that? Like two weeks before the fight?
AA: Well Manny gets there a week before the fight, so of course people were asking questions and this and that. Actually, I didn't even ask any questions. I was just listening when Robert started asking questions because I'm not very familiar with VADA. So it's not like any of us are casting any shadows over Manny or the team or anything like that. It was just one of those things. We all assume VADA is supposed to be impartial and unbiased and a fair company that's going to treat both sides equally. That's why I think everybody was kind of set back when they started answering the questions about it. That's all it really was. It's not like they said we're avoiding Manny or this and that. Like I told Robert, maybe they don't have the resources or who knows. Of course, what I did, you know, I know a lot of people in the Filipino press, so I made some phone call just to see and they said, "Oddly enough, no, they haven't. We've been here and obviously we're reporting all the sparring and everything that's happening, but no, Manny hasn't been tested yet." I just said, "Oh, okay." Again, it's not casting a shadow over Manny because Manny is not in control of that. It has nothing to do with him. It's just kind of odd that we're the only ones being tested.
BT: Are you surprised that they showed up and just did the testing right in front of everyone like that? It's almost as if they wanted the media to capture that moment in hopes of getting some exposure.
AA: You know what? Normally, I would say probably not, but since this is the second time that they've been there when there's been a big media turnout there, I think it's just odd. But for me, you know, I've been around this for awhile and I just found it odd that they did it so open. If you look, it's just right there next to the ring. Usually they take you in the back or they wait till you go home or they go to a sterile environment. It just seemed a lot odd, the procedures that they take. People were eating on the table, there's tape, you know, it's just not a very sterile area, so I just thought it was kind of odd that they did it right there in front of everybody, which opened themselves up to the questions. When they asked the question about when Manny was tested and they said that he hasn't been and he won't be until China, they kind of opened themselves up to that line of questioning.
BT: So they just showed up and took Brandon's blood right there next to the ring?
AA: Yeah, it was 3 or 4 vials blood and all the urine; just right there. It's kind of unusual. Even the last time, they did that right there. It's so funny because everything gets lost in translation. We really didn't think twice about it. I wasn't even thinking to ask the question about when Manny got tested because, for me, it doesn't matter if he gets tested or doesn't get tested, I know Manny's not a dirty fighter. People can say whatever they want about whatever I did with him, but I know that Manny's not a dirty fighter, so for me, it wasn't even an issue. I really didn't think about it nor do I suspect or think that anything would be going on.
BT: Regardless of what names we're talking about, it doesn't seem like it's a fair policy to test one side this early and not test the other side until a week before the fight.
AA: Again, I'm just going to play devil's advocate and say that maybe they just got caught off guard. You know how the media is, dude. I think they just shocked everybody when they disclosed that they haven't tested Manny and that there was no plan to test him until he got to China. I don't know that they realized what they had opened themselves up to. Again, you gotta think about both sides. Maybe they don't have the resources. Maybe Manny's schedule hasn't allowed it; you know, Manny's not the easiest guy to get a hold of. There could be a lot of things that we don't know. I know Margaret [Goodman] put out a statement apparently saying that he has been tested, but I know the Filipino press. I know how the press is over there, man, and Manny can't take a piss without somebody writing a paragraph about it. I find it hard to believe that nobody in the media over there has seen or heard of Manny giving any blood. You know how they cover Manny. It's impossible for them over there not to say something like, "Manny's first testing!" That's a story in itself. Manny has never subjected himself to random drug testing; he's never been involved in any of that, so that's something that would make headlines.
BT: Not to mention the whole Pacquiao/Mayweather angle. You already know a ton of articles would've been written regarding that fight if Manny would've been tested by now. Hell, as the first agency to test Pacquiao, I wouldn't even be surprised to see VADA put out a press release (laughing).
AA: Of course. I mean, you gotta also remember, that is supposedly the reason why Manny and Floyd have never fought, so if they never fought because of that one thing, then it would be a huge story that Manny is finally allowing himself to be tested, especially given his belief and the way he feels about blood being taken out of him. Believe me, I know how the press is over there. Of anything that Manny does, that would be a huge, huge story. I just find it odd that Margaret [Goodman] would go out there and say that he has been. I mean, now it draws speculation on our part. I mean, there's nothing wrong with it if he hasn't. It's random, so they can do it any way that they want. It's just weird that she would come out and say that he's been tested. Of course, it is confidential information as far as what the results are, but it's not confidential to tell us what dates he was tested. I mean, everybody knows when Brandon is tested. With Manny obviously being the bigger name and the fact that he draws so much attention, you would think that VADA would want people to know when Manny is tested. But again, we don't really care. You know, a company that talks about a level playing, you would think it would be even on both sides, but it doesn't matter to us one way or the other. Nobody over here thinks that Manny is doing anything illegal. I for sure don't and know that he's not. Once again, it wasn't an issue until unfortunately they started opening themselves up and started talking about it. I think they just kind of disclosed a little too much information that maybe they shouldn't have. Again, what does bother me a little bit is that I did speak with a few different people and I don't know why she might lie about it. I mean, there's nothing to cover up. Don't lie and make it worse. Just say, "No, we haven't gotten to the Philippines yet, but we plan on it in the next few days." You know, you could say anything and it would've been dead, but now you got everybody calling over there asking if it's true and all the reporters that I've spoken to have said no.
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