GENERAL SANTOS (Philippines) • Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao called for sanctions and another fight yesterday after his rival Floyd Mayweather was accused of violating anti-doping rules in the build-up to their mega-clash in May.
The eight-division world champion, who lost a unanimous decision to the American in Las Vegas, urged Nevada sports officials to "impose the appropriate sanction" on the unbeaten boxer.
Mayweather and the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) have both insisted his actions were legal after it emerged he was injected with vitamins and minerals before the fight.
But Pacquiao questioned why Usada informed the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) about the infusion only three weeks after the bout. By then, Mayweather had received a Usada exemption.
"Are they hiding something? For the sake of fairness and for the good of the sport, NSAC must be consistent," he said at his home in the southern Philippines.
"If needed, the NSAC should impose the appropriate sanction to sustain its credibility and to show the world they did not give preferential treatment."
A report on the SB Nation sports news website said Mayweather had broken World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) regulations by having an intravenous infusion at home on May 1, the day before the fight.
Wada guidelines say IV infusions are prohibited because they can be used to mask performance-enhancing drugs, increase plasma volume levels and distort the values of an athlete's biological passport.
But a Usada source said that, because Mayweather had obtained a therapeutic use exemption, no offence had been committed under Wada rules.
Pacquiao added he was treated unfairly because the Nevada body refused to let him use a Usada-approved painkiller for the fight, when he had a shoulder injury.
"That is why I want a rematch. One without any injury and with fair play. No favouritism," he said. "Not one where the Mayweather camp gets to dictate all the terms and conditions."
Doping allegations have been at the heart of the fighters' long-running feud, which has not abated since Mayweather won their only meeting for the World Boxing Organisation welterweight title.
The richest fight in boxing history took years to become reality, partly because of Mayweather's insistence that Pacquiao comply with a strict drug-testing regimen.
Mayweather later accused his rival of using performance-enhancing drugs, prompting a lawsuit which was settled out of court.
"Truth finally came out and I was vindicated," Pacquiao said on Thursday. "(The) Mayweather camp accused me of using PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs).
"Now look what happened."
Mayweather, who is looking to extend his unblemished 49-0 record against Andre Berto today, has insisted he is a clean athlete.
"I follow and have always followed the rules of Nevada and Usada, the gold standard of drug testing," he said in a statement. "I am very proud to be a clean athlete and will continue to champion the cause."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
