In a bombshell revelation, Devin Haney’s team has accused Ryan Garcia of tampering with supplements, alleging the presence of the banned substance ostarine in re-tested samples. The claim, spearheaded by Haney’s legal advisor, Patrick C. English, and noted nutritionist, Victor Conte, is shaking the boxing world to its core.
Legal Advisor’s Fiery Plea
English made an impassioned plea to the New York State Athletic Commission, criticizing the integrity of Garcia’s supplement testing process. According to English, the so-called ‘Chain of Custody’ was non-existent in the recent tests, rendering the results meaningless.
Opened Samples: A Breach of Protocol?
One of the key points raised by English is the fact that the supplement bottles were already opened when sent for testing. This, he argues, undermines the credibility of the samples entirely. “We have read that Mr. Garcia’s legal representatives have sent opened samples of certain supplements to SMARTL for testing. Based upon what we read, for anyone knowledgeable about the drug testing process, this is very clearly an attempt to confuse matters,” English stated emphatically.
Contamination Concerns
English elaborated on the potential for contamination, highlighting the risk posed by opened containers. “First, sent long after the bout, the samples were in opened containers. If opened containers were ever submitted to bolster a case for doping against an athlete, any results would be completely inadmissible, and counsel for Garcia would be the first to argue this.”
Intentional Contamination?
The accusation takes a darker turn with the suggestion that the samples could have been deliberately contaminated. English pointed out the ease with which a substance like ostarine, a powder, could be mixed into the samples, potentially tampering with the evidence. “Who is to say that the samples were not intentionally contaminated? This is why open bottles alone are meaningless.”
Chain of Custody: Missing and Critical
English emphasized the critical importance of the chain of custody (CoC) in legal and doping contexts. Without this documentation, the samples’ credibility is severely compromised. “Chain of custody (CoC), in legal contexts, is the chronological documentation or paper trail that records the sequence of custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of materials, including physical or electronic evidence,” English explained. “Absent a valid chain of custody, results emanating from the samples would never be considered in the drug testing context.”
Doubts Over Hair Testing
English also raised concerns about the reliability of hair testing, which was conducted a month after the alleged positive test for PEDs. He cited a scientific article to support his claim that hair testing is not a definitive method for detecting drug use. “The bottom line is that there are methods of eliminating drug traces from hair and that hair sampling is never permitted to. A more proper method would have been to submit unopened bottles plus, if they wished, opened bottles to contradict a positive urine sample.”
