If not for the defamation suit filed by Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Sr. might still be talking a lot about Pacquiao’s steroid use. The libel case against Floyd Sr., his son and the Golden Boy Promotions is now moving forward in a district court in Nevada. The judge ruled that the 8 division world boxing champion has enough evidence that will prove the group tried to ruin his career by insinuating he is a steroid user.

The defendants asked for the dismissal of the case but their move was futile. “Moving defendants argue that Pacquiao has failed to sufficiently allege malice because moving defendants could not have known one way or the other whether Pacquiao had actually taken PEDs when they made the alleged defamatory statements. However, the court finds that Pacquiao has sufficiently pled malice in the amended complaint,” said Judge Larry Hicks.

If Manny Pacquiao wins the defamation suit, the Mayweathers and the Golden Boy Promotions may be required to pay a huge sum (which is around $5 million according to online sources) for damages and probably require them to make a public apology. In addition, losing a case is not a good thing especially for the father and son tandem who portray themselves as the best trainer in boxing and the best fighter in the world.

In an effort to clear his name, Floyd Mayweather Sr. called Percy Crawford of FyteHype to qualify his previous statements regarding the alleged steroid use of Pacquaio. Floyd Sr. claimed that a writer, who he can’t remember the name, misquoted him during an interview. “I didn’t say I know for a fact Pacquiao was on steroids because I don’t know that,” he told Crawford.

Sportswriters in the boxing arena became curious on the identity of the writer Floyd Sr. is referring to. Brad Cooney of the 8countnews.com and sportswriter for the Examiner immediately cleared things out. “Since Mr. Crawford of FightHype.com allegedly didn’t know who Floyd was talking about, and Floyd Mayweather Sr. couldn’t remember who HE was talking about, let me help the both of them out. It was MY article on Examiner.com that Big Floyd was referring to,” Cooney wrote.

Cooney on his part denied that he twisted Floyd’s statements to make it appear that the trainer said Pacquiao is using steroids. “I never wrote in my article that Floyd said that he knew for a fact that Pacquiao was on steroids,” said Cooney who even put a link to his Examiner article to prove he did not wrote those things.

According to Cooney, there were many instances where Floyd Sr. made similar statements during his interviews with him. Though Floyd Sr. did not categorically said Pacquiao is into performance enhancing drugs, most of his statements implies that Pacquiao is taking steroids. A link to a podcast was also shared by Cooney to let the readers view the entire interview with Floyd Sr.

Cooney reiterated that what they report is factual and they cite their sources. “We stream the audio of our interviews so that you, the fans, can listen verbatim to what the fighters and the trainers have to say,” he said.

Cooney may not be alone in this issue. There were other interviews where Floyd Sr. talked about the steroid use of Pacquiao. One website quoted Floyd Sr. saying “Pacquiao’s got the power pellets and the steroid juice.”

Meanwhile, there are reports that Floyd Jr. is now facing another problem. He is being hunted by the IRS for allegedly not paying $3.4 million taxes for the year 2009.

As part of the continuing investigation of the Danbury police and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), a bodybuilder friend of Mark Mansa was arrested for his connection with the latter. Philip “P.J.” Braun, 30, was taken into custody by the law enforcement officers last week for his alleged involvement in the steroid ring. The Special Investigations Division of the local police and a federal drug agent went to his condo unit to serve the arrest warrant for conspiracy to possess marijuana.

Police found narcotics and other substances which were purportedly anabolic steroids. They later identified the narcotic drug as Percocet, a prescription painkiller drug. Braun was also in possession of several types of anabolic steroids. Police confiscated testosterone and branded steroids like Halotestin, Deca-durabolin, and Proviron.

Information as to the exact quantity and amount of steroids found in Braun’s condo was not released to the public. Authorities filed additional charges on the bodybuilder. He was charged with possession of prescription drugs and narcotics, and three counts each for possession of a controlled substance.

As a bodybuilder, Braun could be using the anabolic steroids for himself. There was no indication that the bodybuilder is selling them to others.

Braun was released on his own recognizance and scheduled to appear in the state’s Superior Court.

The details of the bodybuilder’s alleged participation in the drug ring of Mark Mansa is still sealed by the court. Mark Mansa and three others were already indicted by a federal grand jury for importing and distributing marijuana. Mansa was also charged for distributing anabolic steroids which he allegedly sold to bodybuilders and student athletes in the area.

Mansa pleaded not guilty on the charges but the prosecution says they have enough evidences against the Bethel businessman. The charges stemmed from a 5-year joint investigation of the local police and the DEA. According to Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Vizcarrondo, Mansa had connections with local police officers particularly in Danbury, New Milford and Wilton. This is one of the reasons why it took time for the investigators to pin down the suspect for his marijuana and steroid dealings. Mansa also boasted his connections with the police.

However, local city officials and area police chiefs denied any involvement of their police officers in the steroid ring. Nevertheless, they still welcome any investigation to shed light on the matter.

According to News Times report, Mansa’s illegal drug operation sold at least 1,000 pounds of marijuana last year which is estimated to be between $3 million and $7 million. In the initial hearing last month, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Vizcarrondo said that Mansa and his group are responsible for the flow of a very significant amount of anabolic steroids and marijuana into the state. “The quantities are incredibly significant,” he said.

The head of the football league told a group of high school students in Maryland about the use of steroids and the dangers it will bring to them. He was one of the guest speakers in a symposium held at the Woodlawn High School that was attended by students, teachers and coaches. U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings of the 7th District also graced the event.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell warns the students about the dangers of steroids to young teens. “We don’t know the effect that performance-enhancing drugs have on the health of our individuals and the health of the younger generation that might take them. So, we want to make sure they’re not a part of the NFL and, hopefully, not a part of sports at any level,” Goodell said.

He said the league is constantly testing NFL players for performance enhancing drugs to catch cheating players. Performance enhancing drugs like steroids can create unfair play and can also affect the body and mind. When a student asked him if there are more baseball players using steroids than in the NFL, Goodell said that he is not sure about it. Instead, the commissioner told them that the league has a strong anti-doping policy and they are improving it further to make it more effective.

HGH Testing Next Labor Agenda

Commissioner Goodell knows that the problem of PED’s in professional sports is always a threat. He claimed that the drug testing program of the league is one of the best in pro sports but it still needs improvement. One of the main issues that most professional leagues argue is the inclusion of HGH testing. The use of human growth hormone is prohibited by the league but it is not included in the current drug testing. “Making changes to our program is critical and we have done that over the years. We need to do more, including the inclusion of HGH testing,” Goodell said.

The league commissioner told the media that it would be naive to think that players are not trying to cheat the system. They have to have the best testing program to be able to offset it. “I made it clear to the kids in the room today that the integrity of the NFL is critical, and we need to make sure we’re doing everything possible to have the best drug program in sports,” Goodell told reporters after the event.

Many anti-doping experts believe that HGH is slowly surpassing anabolic steroids in popularity. A lot of people use HGH to combat aging but professional athletes use it to improve performance in sports. Some benefits of taking HGH include increased speed and improved vision. Another reason why HGH is popular among pro athletes is the absence of policies that will test for the drug. HGH can’t be detected in urine. A player can only be caught through blood testing. The NFLPA is still adamant in blood testing for HGH because of the reliability of the current testing protocols.

Impact on Students

Organizers of the event in Maryland high school is optimistic that inviting the top NFL official will be more effective in educating the youths about steroids. Some students who attended the symposium said that it had a greater impact on them. “If players in the NFL are not doing it, why should we do it,” said one of the participants.

“We’ve seen constantly where youth are trying to emulate professional players, and we thought it was appropriate to have the top person in the NFL come and tell us what they’re looking for in sports today,” said Rep. Cummings, a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The representative also talked about the NFL lockout with Commissioner Goodell and hopes that Congress’ intervention is not needed anymore in solving the problem in NFL.

The case of at least eight New South Wales police officers sanctioned or dismissed from the service was only revealed to the public when one of the officers appealed his dismissal. These officers were involved in steroid use or illegal importation of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. The internal investigation was set up by the Police Integrity Commission in 2008 which was centered on one senior officer for his alleged steroid use and misconduct. The covert investigation was called Operation Oklahoma.

As the investigation unfolds, more officers were implicated in the use of anabolic substances and some were even selling these drugs to fellow officers and other clients. Most of these steroids were purchased online and bought from Thailand where steroids are freely available. Under the Drug and Alcohol Policy of the New South Wales police, officers are prohibited from using anabolic steroids or other type of steroids. These are only allowed if they have valid prescriptions for medical purposes. According to NSW health officials, possession of non-prescribed steroid is illegal.

The officer who appealed his dismissal was unsuccessful in convincing the NSW Industrial Relations Commission to get his job back. Constable Matthew Walsh claimed that the decision of Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione was too harsh since he already cooperated with the investigators in nabbing other officers involved in the steroid ring. The commission dismissed him from the police service because he was caught using a steroid. News agencies learned that Walsh used Ropel, a liquid testosterone. He also failed to report other officers who are using or purchasing steroids.

Steroids from Thailand

Walsh was assigned in the Tamworth Police Station where three other were also linked to illegal purchases of steroid. Walsh is a fitness buff and is into weight training. He connived with senior officer Nathan McCulloch in importing steroids from Thailand in 2008, online reports said. McCulloch used the steroids to treat his knee injury faster because he wants to join the police rugby league tournament.

During the investigation, McCulloch texted his wife to remove all the steroids from their home when he learned the authorities will conduct a raid. Authorities confiscated 100 tablets of Anadrol and two bottles of steroid Nandrolin. His wife, who is also a senior constable, was also charged. Taped conversations revealed that the officers involved in the steroid ring referred to the drugs as “perfume” to avoid detection.

Dismissal not Harsh

The judge who handled the case of Walsh ruled that the dismissal was not harsh. Justice Conrad Staff said that due to the public interest, the officer should not be allowed to return to the NSW police force. “I consider the public interest in maintaining the integrity of the NSW Police Force must result in the conclusion that the removal of (Walsh) … was not harsh, unreasonable or unjust,” Judge Staff said as quoted Australian news agencies.

Other Officers Charged

Senior Constable Nathan McCulloch was convicted for possessing an illegal steroidal agent, forging a prescription and drug supply. He was fined $2500. Elisa McCulloch was also charged but was not convicted. Terri Whitton, who at that time tried to source out steroids from her rugby player boyfriend for other officers, was sentenced for giving false or misleading evidence. She was ordered to perform 150 hours of community service.

The Operation Oklahoma by the NSW police started in 2008 and ended last year.

As the steroid case of the home run king progresses, the defense team is slowly gaining momentum after 2 witnesses of the prosecution gave conflicting testimonies. After hearing several witnesses, the court have not yet heard of any testimony that says Barry Bonds explicitly used anabolic steroids. Most of these testimonies were based on observations and second hand information.

Personal Assistant Witnessed the Injection

This week, the government called to the witness stand the former personal assistant of Barry Bonds. Kathy Hoskins, a childhood friend and former assistant, told the court that she personally witnessed Greg Anderson injecting Bonds with something. It happened in 2002 at the Bay Area home of Barry Bonds. Ms. Hoskins said that while she was filling a suitcase, Anderson came into the bedroom. “Barry was like, ‘Let’s do it right here,’” Kathy said. She described Anderson as a little bit reluctant because of her presence but Bonds assured the trainer that there was no problem with Kathy. “That’s my girl. She ain’t going to say nothing to nobody,” Bonds allegedly told Anderson.

In Kathy’s account, Anderson injected Bonds in the belly button with a regular, normal sized syringe. However, she did not ask or was not told about the substance injected to Bonds. In one conversation with the baseball slugger, Kathy said that Bonds told her its something that was undetectable but did not say if it is an anabolic steroid.

In the cross examination, Kathy told the court that she did not want to testify against Barry Bonds and it was her brother, Steve, who requested the government to include her in the list of witnesses. Kathy knows that Bonds reported her brother to the FBI and in turn her brother also reported Bonds’ alleged steroid abuse.

Doctor Contradicts Steve Hoskins’ Testimony

Another witness from the government also testified this week. Dr. Arthur Ting, the former personal doctor and orthopedic surgeon of the home run king, told the jury that Steve Hoskins only ask him about anabolic steroids once and never told him about Bonds’ alleged steroid use. Earlier this week, Hoskins told the court that he discussed with Dr. Ting the use of anabolic steroids of Bonds more than 50 times. Hoskins also alleged that the doctor told him to persuade Bonds to stop steroid use.

Dr. Ting replied in the negative when asked by defense lawyer Christina Arguedas about Hoskins’ claim. “Did Stevie ever say to you I need to get the information so I can get it back to Barry so we would know what the effects of the steroids were? Did he ever say that?” asked Arguedas.

Corticosteroid and Anabolic Steroid Similar Side Effects

The doctor admitted that he prescribed Bonds with corticosteroids, another type of steroid. This is to help alleviate the condition of Bonds after surgeries. He performed at least 8 surgeries on Bonds during the slugger’s baseball career in the MLB. The prosecution asked earlier if anabolic steroids can cause side effects such as acne, bloating, decreased sexual desire and mood swings and Dr Ting answered in the affirmative.

However, during the cross examination, the doctor said that corticosteroids, which are legally prescribed steroids, can also cause similar side effects common to anabolic steroids use.

The former two-time Olympic silver medalist kayaker received another month of jail term for possessing a controlled substance inside the jail. He admitted to steroid possession charge. Nathan Baggaley is serving a minimum of 4 years sentence after pleading guilty in 2009 for manufacturing and distributing ecstasy. The illegal drug operation of Baggaley and his brother became a concern for the authorities because the kayaker used young teens as carriers of the drugs to his clients.

The disgraced athlete is currently serving his jail term in Cessnock Correctional Centre. According to media reports, Baggaley is enjoying some privileges inside the jail including working outside the jail. However, jail officers caught him in possession of a mobile phone last year which is prohibited. Officers also confiscated a memory card and SIM card which were later identified as owned by Baggaley because it contain pictures and videos of his girlfriend. As a result of this incident, the court sentenced the former Olympian with 7 days jail term.

Baggaley will also serve another month in prison because corrections officers found steroids inside his cell. During a search, officers found 2 vials of anabolic steroid inside a vegemite squeeze tube wrapped in Lebanese bread. The vials contain 10 ml of Deca Durabolin. Baggaley alleged that the steroid was given to him by another inmate.

The world champion kayaker is not new to steroid use. In 2005, the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Agency banned him from the sports after they found out that the kayaker is using stanozolol, an anabolic steroid.

These violations would have put Baggaley into another 2 years in jail. However, Magistrate Ron Maiden said that the punishment of 1 month and 7 days is already enough. The lawyer of Baggaley told the media that they consider filing an appeal. “I wouldn’t rule out an appeal but I would need to talk to Mr Baggaley and his family first,” said Simon Joyner, lawyer of Baggaley. “We might appeal the severity. What we would be saying is we would want to appeal the conviction and ask for a Section 10,” added Joyner.

Another lawyer of Baggaley, Tim Gartelmann, said that the kayaker had already received enough punishment for the offense. From the medium security Cessnock facility, he was move to the maximum security prison at Lithgow where he spent 3 months in solitary. He also argued that the phone, though prohibited inside the jail, was used for relatively benign purposes.

It is not yet clear whether Baggaley will return to his sports after serving his sentence. The world champion kayaker is set to be released on November after his lawyers were able to ask for jail term reduction. He can still bid for the London Olympics in 2012.

Nathan Baggaley is a three-time kayaking world champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist. He also received recognition from the government as Australian athlete of the year.