Tua accused of doping

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 24 Jan 2006, 10:42

Former New Zealand boxing world heavyweight contender David Tua has been accused of taking a banned drug before major fights.

The revelation came after court documents were released in Wellington amid a public row between Mr Tua and his sacked manager, Kevin Barry.

Kevin Barry was sacked following a lengthy and bitter court battle over the fighter's finances.

Mr Barry has now alleged that Mr Tua was fed the banned stimulant ephedrine.

The Sunday News newspaper reports the affidavit claims Mr Tua knowingly took ephedrine to lose weight.

But Mr Tua, who has never failed a drugs test, has told the newspaper he only took the product because he trusted Mr Barry's advice that it would help him lose weight.

The World Anti Doping Authority has banned ephedrine use from sports because of its performance enhancing aspects.

Coconut · Post by **Coconut** » 24 Jan 2006, 10:53

Barry is an arsehole trying to get as many teethmarks into Tua's hopes of career resurrection as he can.

Tua's come out of this as a simple guy who trusted Barry, so I can well believe this defence. But I am a big (although disillusioned) Tua fan.

Sad, though. No-one comes out with any credit. Barry just knows his reputation's fucked isn't going down alone. Bitter little fckr. He's going to find himself in a dark corner staring at some large Samoans before his time is done, I fancy.

knockout · Post by **knockout** » 24 Jan 2006, 12:11

Coconut wrote:Barry is an arsehole trying to get as many teethmarks into Tua's hopes of career resurrection as he can.

Tua's come out of this as a simple guy who trusted Barry, so I can well believe this defence. But I am a big (although disillusioned) Tua fan.

Sad, though. No-one comes out with any credit. Barry just knows his reputation's fucked isn't going down alone. Bitter little fckr. He's going to find himself in a dark corner staring at some large Samoans before his time is done, I fancy.

Agreed Barry is a classless piece of shit....
there are certain things you dont do when you fall out over money and one of them is start dishing dirt like this....
To me whether it is true or not is a minor... the major thing is that Barry would come out and say it.... like he didnt mind the drugs when he was getting a piece of the pie, but now he aint then Tua is dope cheat

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 24 Jan 2006, 12:14

Reminds me of when Barrera and his manager revealing Marco had a metal plate in his head when they fell out.

E · Post by E » 24 Jan 2006, 12:26

The only substances that Tua has been consuming extensively before fights is pies.

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 24 Jan 2006, 12:28

Back up Tua drug claim, boxing body tells Barry

23.01.06
By Simon O'Rourke

New Zealand boxing's controlling body has told David Tua's former manager Kevin Barry to "put up or shut up" about his claim that he gave the boxer a banned drug.
Barry has claimed in a signed affidavit that in 2000 he arranged for a Los Angeles doctor to help counter Tua's weight problems by regularly administering ephedrine, which is a banned drug.

A liquid formula was developed that masked the presence of ephedrine in Tua's urine tests.

Tua has denied that he knowingly took the "liquid speed", and dismissed the claims as part of Barry's dirty tactics campaign to sully his name and reputation.

Boxing officials are furious at the ongoing spat between the pair, with New Zealand's National Boxing Federation president Gary McCrystal saying he is sick of the drama.

"From a professional boxing point of view we can do without all this," he said. "It's tainting the whole sport."

Mr McCrystal described Barry's claims as "pie in the sky".

If any illegal drug-taking took place in New Zealand, police would need to first prove there was a case to answer. Until that happened the professional boxing federation would not be stepping in to conduct its own inquiry.

"These are serious allegations. Barry should either lay a complaint with the police or shut up," he said.

If the alleged doping took place in the United States, it was a matter for that country's justice system. Furthermore, if the allegations proved true, it would need to be determined whether both Tua and his management acted illegally, or whether only one party was at fault, said Mr McCrystal.

Tua was reported in the Sunday News yesterday as saying he had regularly taken a substance called "thermo fusion", but was not aware it contained ephedrine. He said if he had known the product contained banned drugs he would never have taken it.

Barry had breached his trust and "should have known better", Tua said.

Barry wanted the affidavit to be part of court evidence in an ongoing contract wrangle he has with Tua, but the Auckland High Court judge ruled it was irrelevant to the legal battle over finances between Tua and his former management team, Barry and Martin Pugh.

Last week Barry and Pugh lost the latest courtroom bout.

Mr McCrystal said it was unlikely Barry would ever work in the sport in this country again as it was accepted in boxing circles that no Polynesian boxer would allow Barry to work for them.

The Sunday News quoted Marc Ratner, the executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission, as saying he would alert Nevada's Attorney-General once he had "sighted" Barry's affidavit.

Ratner reportedly said it was "uncharted waters" for a boxing trainer or manager to admit to giving his charge a banned substance.

Chris Kenny, vice-president of the sport's amateur body, Boxing New Zealand, said his organisation had nothing to do with Kevin Barry "or his mate Pugh" and it was unlikely it would have anything to do with them in the future.

"My leanings are toward Tua. He did the fighting and earned the money and they just went along and enjoyed the ride."

Mr Kenny said he believed Tua was innocent. "While he's not terribly sophisticated, David is a pure and clean-living guy. It would not enter into his thinking in my opinion."

Boxing New Zealand no longer investigated professional fighters, so proving or disproving the allegations would be a long-shot.

It would be hard to coordinate an investigation, as there were two or three professional bodies based in Auckland, mirroring the "fragmented" situation of the sport's governance in the States.

He doubted that US authorities would take things seriously until Tua signed a major fight contract.

Attempts to contact Mr Barry for comment yesterday were not successful.

He is believed to be in Las Vegas, where he trains boxers.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 24 Jan 2006, 12:35

topper123 wrote:"From a professional boxing point of view we can do without all this," he said. "It's tainting the whole sport."

Mr McCrystal described Barry's claims as "pie in the sky".

At which point Tua leapt from his seat shouting 'where, where?' before running off to get the longest ladder he could find.

Phenomenal-Nutrition · Post by **Phenomenal-Nutrition** » 24 Jan 2006, 13:02

Tua took Ephedra when it was still legal, which slightly aids performance but not to any great extent, it only aids performance if you really push yourself imo which isnt exactly Tuas forte. It may have helped him keep bodyfat levels down somewhat. You can get the same results with Synephrine which is completely legal in sports, Ive overdosed on this it makes you paranoid and stops you sleeping.

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 24 Jan 2006, 13:25

Phenomenal-Nutrition wrote: Synephrine which is completely legal in sports, Ive overdosed on this it makes you paranoid and stops you sleeping.

that sounds like fun.

dve3333 · Post by **dve3333** » 24 Jan 2006, 13:43

Very mature and funny weight jokes in there funny

Barry knows he's fucked and the case is lost so he will try anything now to blacken Tua's name

Expug · Post by **Expug** » 25 Jan 2006, 02:31

Whoever was giving Tua ephedrine was ,I believe jeopardizing his health.Im no doctor but isnt it possible that drug messes with the heart rate. A Northwestern Football player died at a summer practice here in Chicago a few years ago,he had asthma I believe ,but I think he was alleged to be using ephedrine.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 25 Jan 2006, 06:36

jamesmcdonnell wrote:
topper123 wrote:"From a professional boxing point of view we can do without all this," he said. "It's tainting the whole sport."

Mr McCrystal described Barry's claims as "pie in the sky".

At which point Tua leapt from his seat shouting 'where, where?' before running off to get the longest ladder he could find.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 25 Jan 2006, 06:58

Max Molyneux wrote:
jamesmcdonnell wrote:
topper123 wrote:"From a professional boxing point of view we can do without all this," he said. "It's tainting the whole sport."

Mr McCrystal described Barry's claims as "pie in the sky".

At which point Tua leapt from his seat shouting 'where, where?' before running off to get the longest ladder he could find.

Or, "what, I missed one??!"

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 25 Jan 2006, 07:04

Don't get you on that one?

E · Post by E » 25 Jan 2006, 07:39

jamesmcdonnell wrote:
topper123 wrote:"From a professional boxing point of view we can do without all this," he said. "It's tainting the whole sport."

Mr McCrystal described Barry's claims as "pie in the sky".

At which point Tua leapt from his seat shouting 'where, where?' before running off to get the longest ladder he could find.

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 27 Jan 2006, 12:51

The ephedrine drug dispute between New Zealand heavyweight boxer David Tua and his former manager has taken another turn on Friday, reports ONE News.

The American supplier of the drug alleged to have been taken by Tua has broken his silence.

Tua says he never knowingly took ephedrine to control his weight three years ago but his former manager Kevin Barry says he did know.

Now the American biochemist who supplied a supplement containing ephedrine to Team Tua says there's no doubt the boxer knew.

"We even talked about it," said Rob Crandell, the former owner of Health Science Technology. "David is an intelligent person; he would look and make sure what he was doing."

Tua's use of ephedrine, a drug banned in boxing, has surfaced in a high court affidavit filed by Barry.

The affidavit contains an e-mail from the American biochemist spelling out to Tua the benefits of ephedrine in his product.

Asked whether he would appear in a court of law to confirm the email was his and that Tua knew he was taking ephedrine, Cranell said: "Oh yeah definitely. If I had to take that oath, I would definitely put my hand on a bible and say yes.... I'd take a lie detector test."

Tua's wife Robina maintains the e-mail from the biochemist is bogus.

Coconut · Post by **Coconut** » 27 Jan 2006, 12:55

Anyone read the bit in Boxing News yet about Tua being managed by Inga Tuigamala now?

Damn, you just would NOT get into an argument with those boys. I think Inga's a distant cousin anyway.

This business serves no positive purpose whatsoever.

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 27 Jan 2006, 12:57

Coconut wrote:Anyone read the bit in Boxing News yet about Tua being managed by Inga Tuigamala now?

Damn, you just would NOT get into an argument with those boys. I think Inga's a distant cousin anyway.

This business serves no positive purpose whatsoever.

I spent a couple of months in NZ, great place, and there is no way i would get involved in an argument there, its like land of the giants