Here is an article from Adcombat! It mentions Rick Roufus testing positive for steroids use after the K-1 usa in May....


NEVADA COMMISSION IN 'EDUCATION MODE' ON STEROIDS, RATNER SAYS
Submitted by: Eddie Goldman
Posted On 07/08/2002

Don't expect the Nevada State Athletic Commission to throw the book at UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett when his hearing regarding allegations of steroid usage finally takes place. 'Educate is the word, the most key word that I can give to you,' said Marc Ratner, executive director of this commission, in recent telephone interviews.

Barnett's hearing could finally take place at the commission meeting this week, on July 11, or at the July 26 meeting. It had been postponed from the commission's June 21 meeting because Barnett had traveled to Japan to corner Bob Sapp at Pride 21 on June 23.

If at the hearing Barnett is indeed found to have used the three steroids found in his urine sample, as the allegations contend, we may be able to deduce what will come next by looking at the recent similar case of K-1 fighter Rick Roufus. He made it to the finals of the K-1 USA championship at Las Vegas's Mirage Casino on Friday, May 3, against Michael McDonald. In what had been a close championship fight over the regulation first three rounds, Roufus lost by TKO when he could not answer the bell for a required three-minute overtime because he had suffered a badly battered left knee. But since it was a title fight, under Nevada regulations he had to submit a urine sample. The Nevada commission regularly conducts steroid tests for fighters in all championship fights, as well as randomly for fighters in non-championship fights, in all the events it regulates.

Roufus, according to Ratner, 'tested positive for some steroid metabolites.' Because of his knee injury, he will not be in shape to fight until early next year, Ratner said. But Roufus also had his steroid case heard by the Nevada commission.

After his knee injury heals, Ratner said that before Roufus 'can fight again anywhere in the world, he must have a clean specimen.' In addition, the commission is requiring Roufus to undergo some education about steroids. He has not been suspended because of the steroid use, but only received a medical suspension because of the knee injury. 'We have to be able to know he is clean, and we want him to get much more knowledgeable,' said Ratner. 'What we're trying to do with anybody who tests positive is to educate them.'

Ratner declined to predict what the commission might do regarding Barnett, since his hearing has not yet been held. 'I never want to prejudge,' he said. But nonetheless his emphasis, for the moment, was on education.

'We're in the education mode right now,' Ratner stressed.

'There's a lot of supplements you can take that can turn into some of these things, also, that are over-the-counter,' Ratner stated. 'And we at the Nevada commission are learning about it. We're really trying to study it and learn it and educate the fighters.' He said that by July 1 a letter will have been sent to fight promoters for fighters 'to let us know what kind of supplements that you're taking that could possibly metabolize into something else. And so the next few months are going to be real educational for everybody.'

Towards that end, the Nevada commission has sought the expertise of, among others, Dr. Robert Voy, formerly drug chief for the U.S. Olympic Committee, and now President of USA Boxing, which governs amateur boxing in the U.S. Dr. Voy is the author of the 1991 book 'Drugs, Sport, and Politics,' in which he outlines the detrimental effects of drugs as well as criticizing lax enforcement and sometimes even coverups of positive drug tests in sports.

Ratner also said he called 'some people in from the State of Washington' to watch the June 22 UFC event 'who are going to do some stuff with us also, who have done some analysis on the different things and the supplements that some of these guys are taking. So we're trying to do what's right. But what we want to do is make the whole sport better, and try to make it cleaner. And it's not going to be an overnight process. And the whole world knows that, hey, we'll do random tests, and we're going to test for championship fights, and we're going to make people aware.'

Ratner also pointed out, 'The other question we don't have the knowledge of is, how long does this stuff last in your system? Some of it's injectable, I understand. Some of it's tablet form. Some of it's supplements. That's what we have to find out. And some of this stuff lasts in your system for a long time. Well, we don't want to have a penalty if you haven't taken it for a long time, either.'

But Ratner did say that this period emphasizing education rather than punishment will not last forever. 'So that's why Jan. 1 will be our drop dead date for everybody, that will give everybody plenty of notice,' he said. 'But anybody who does test positive in the meantime will be brought before the commission.'

The commission has been conducting steroid tests for boxers for the past 11 years. 'Nobody has ever tested positive,' Ratner said. 'These are some of the best heavyweights in the world, and the best bigger guys as well as lighter guys.' He did say there was one instance of a boxer who 'had a higher testosterone level than the others. This is going back about seven or eight years ago. And that is it.'

Ratner also said that he didn't want to 'single out mixed martial arts guys' because of this high profile case involving Josh Barnett, and the lack of positive tests from boxers. 'It really is about education,' he stressed once again.

Oh shit, here comes two months worth of steroid talk.......I think it is a shame that you either have to be 155 or a heavyweight to make any money. how many k-1 athletes should truly be cruiser weight ?

I do not think there is anything wrong with a professional athlete taking steroids.

When everyone is on juice it is a even playing field.

matt-

is the danger level the same too or would someone feel no effects and another grow breasts?

What a load of shit!!!!
I feel for Rick, bad luck bud!

it should be simply NO STEROIDS !! FULL stop ! !! Get back to doing it the right and healthy way ! not with whos got the best doctor and injecting potions !
BUT good training and `trainers` not doctors !!! ONLY

Come back from fantasyland dude! 95% of top class heavyweights have geared up at one time or another. I feel sorry for Rick because those assholes are using him as a scapegoat! Like he's the only guy who was in that show who hasn't geared up! Rick was just unlucky and got caught! And they act like he's the only one who's done this! HAHAHAHA!!! This holier than thou attitude "OOOH NO STEROIDS!!" is fantasy! I actually like seeing many K1 shows these days to see what kind of drugs are on the market nowadays!! Anyway as Matt PERFECTLY said (and something I always say to idiots who think steroids are some super-secert drug that only one or two bad boys partake in) when everyone is on some sort of magic pill or thick liquid, it's an even playing field! Different if one or two people have juiced up. Fact of life, get over it!

using steroids within the constraints of the law may be the thing that is keeping more horror stories from surfacing. for $10 million what wouldn't you do? although this is a sad thing to happen to rick, it is his responsibility to use the drug then to show up clean. i'm guessing that duke's late withdrawal from the event might have affected the plan. as mike says, fact of life, get over it!

"ı do not think there is anything wrong with a professional athlete taking steroids..."

what' s this?...if so, then why you are not taking "steroids", if you find them not wrong or harmful...

in most of the medicine receipts of "anabolizans and steroids " it is recommended mostly for the use after "heavy operations "just for recuperation and keeping the body weight in form , and only for a specific period and limited usage...

on the other hand, it is also correct as "mike " mentioned...up to this year it seemed that most people of k-1 (le banner, hoost, mirco, filho etc) had used lots of steroids-dopings , which has also effected their quickness and reaction time...however, this year ı think they didn't use too much since the fights seemed to be continuing in a much more natural proceeding...(of course, still there might be trace for steroids, doping etc, but not exchagerated like in the past years...)
by the way, it seems so that "aerts" was the one who did^n't deal too much with steroids...his reactions,movements and body form was showing this fact well...

Ercan, you are mistaken...again. I'm not a professional fighter. If I was offered a million $$$ fight I would take steroids because I assume my opponent is.


"if so, then why you are not taking "steroids", if you find them not wrong or harmful"

Where did I say steroids are not harmful? I said there is nothing wrong in my opinion.


"up to this year it seemed that most people of k-1 (le banner, hoost, mirco, filho etc) had used lots of steroids-dopings , which has also effected their quickness and reaction time"

How do you know it effected their reaction time? Have you measured their reaction times before and after or are you making shit up again?

I was not going to polst on this topic but i felt that it would be more detrimental to not post.

First, I am not going to bash Rick for taking steroids because that is the nature of the sport. Many of the top pro's in any sport for the most part take steroids - that does not make it ok tho'. There are those like myself that refuse to do so - in place of steroids i do utilize legal supplements. If one wants to make the million dollars at this game by using steroids then that is on them - for those of us who don't we have to work twice as hard and be twice as good. It is true that Steroids do have their immediate drawbacks as well as their long term effects. THat is up to the fighter to risk theri lives inorder to be the best at this game. If it gets to be that serious for me then I will quit - my wife, kids, health and longevity mean more than the roids. Now that is not saying that i have not thought about taking roids. We all have thought about it at some point or another -(speaking of heavies). I think that what iritates me the most is that there is an aceptance of steroids use - as if everyone is doing it then it must be okay. This is not the case and presents the wrong image for those young fighters coming up in this game. I got 2-3 calls about this post from young people in my area asking if I do roids - if all of the fighters do roids and what the point is training so hard if they can cut out half the training and do roids. In my opinion there has to be a regulatory board with strict opposition to steriod use. I am not going to go into details of names and such but alot of fighters have died in direct relation to roid use (in and out of the ring). The choice is yours do roids for a short lived fighting career or go to a smaller weight class, or do the sport until you cannot go any further. You can make a million dollars in this sport and then spen over half that in medical bills. I expect some flack but i work directly with some athletes here in KC that are recovering or going thru' some sort of ailment in direct relation to steroid use.

"...what the point is training so hard if they can cut out half the training and do roids"

My friend, its not like that all! I can't be bothered going thru all this again, so I will simply say, those who want to know more or are using, read up on it, LEARN about the drugs and how to maximize thir potential and train your tits off. The trick to understanding roids is to LEARN about it, not believe the Hollywood fantasy that you can do one cycle, train half-assed and still get any sort of decent result. Theres no such thing as being able to sit on your ass and take a drug and be a lean, mean fighting machine. No such thing at all! The fact is, to get results, you must WORK!

jerome is one of the hardest working fighters you'll ever see.

Matt said "when everyone is on juice then it is a level playing field."

But NOT everyone does them, so it is NOT a level playing field. They are generally NOT legal, you aren't supposed to use them.

Also if you know the best and most scientific ways to use the drugs - they are still NOT legal and should NOT be used.

Hey Kids it's HARD WORK AND DEDICATION that will make you a champ...... OH and also some 'roids, but don't worry cuz everyone does 'em. YOu just gotta know how to use 'em right and get around all the tests.

IN case I've been unclear - that last statement was just sarcasm. Just cuz usage is common that doesn't make it right.

legkick - that is my point precisely to Mike. I am not saying that it is ok to use roids if you half train and such - i am sayin gthat is what the common consensus is among some youth (who by the way very rarely take time to read about stuff they are suppossed to know so what makes you think they are goin to read about roids). It seems that you condone the use of roids - which is fine. But YOU need to make it clear that there are some fighters at this level who put future health and the SPORT in front of ther own personal gain. Regardless of what you think you know about roids - they do have negative side effects. Once again, i know many pro athletes here in KC that once had your thinking and mentality. And if you want to start quoting articles of roid safety - for every article you come up with i can tell you one athlete who suffers from some roid ailment.

Taking steroids is cheating. Simple as that.

For the first time in my life I hope thai boxers can never make serious money. Its money which kills all sports. It makes men greedy and will make them cheat to get it.

As long as thai boxers get paid shit they will still be in it for the glory of winning. Add money to it and the sport as we know it will die.

Long live cheapskate promotors!

Well steroids aren't the only drugs used, certain other drugs are used across all weight divisions for a bit of a "boost". I hate to bring it up, but acting like heavyweights are a pack of pricks and that those lighter weight Thai's are wholesome individuals who use nothing in competition is simply naive. And no, before anyone asks the obvious, I'm not saying its exclusively the Thai's and I'm not talking about every single fighter on earth.

Feel sorry for Rick because other do it?

Maybe they should check other others then.

You do the crime you do the time.

You want to change the rules, fine. But the rules are the rules.

If I speed and get a ticket all I can do is except that because I know the rules. Rick knew the rules. Can't complain cause he got caught. Other people speed too. I won't feel sorry for myself cause I got caught.

We are responsible for what we do...regardless what others do.

Big D thinks it should be fine for everyone to do. Thats his thought and thats fine. But untill that happens we all know that it is not allowed and therefor if you do it and get caught you're the only one to blame.

Others do it so boo hoo on Rick??

If the winner always gets tested then they are on the right track I think. Cause they do it to win...and if they win they get tested...so theres no sense doing it to win.

So what if rick bought roids and fought in japan, is it wrong where it is legal ?

Mark L. - maybe I am misunderstanding what you have written but it appears that you think that I am pro-roids - that is the furtherest thing from the truth - my point is I know they are out there and am still competing in a sport where probably 70-80% at this level use them - and i compete w/o roids. I am saying that i don't condone them but i understand why others use them - it is not okaying use but acknowledgement.

I've just started a new topic, but it's more of a survey to see people on AX's personal opinion on steroid using.

Here is the question:

WHO WOULD USE IT (OR RECCOMEND IT TO HIS STUDENTS AND GIVE THEM AN EDUCATION ON HOW TO USE IT PROPERLY), PROVIDING HE CAN AFFORD THE MONEY AND KNOW 100% THAT HE WOULD GET AWAY WITH IT?

Any takers?

Mine is NO!!! Ah!Ah! This isn't about anybody on K-1, boxing, Rick Rufus or the MT fighters in Thailand...No!no!no! JUST YOU! What's your answer?

if somebody watch the last fight "le banner vs mark hunt" and compare the reaction times of le banner against attacks during last one with the previous one , then somebody could understand what ı am talking...(during previous fight le banner was attacking hardly ,but on the otherhand just looking and waiting to counterattacks without doing any move just as paralized ...but, in the last one he was 5 times better ...why ?...what can be the reason for such a difference?...

could you see this point my "USD" lover?...if not, then it may be that you have also used some steroid...

ercan.....I just realised you can't type capital "I" in your keyboard...LOL! I kept wondering what these boxes appearing in your posts. LOL!

"what can be the reason for such a difference?..."

What leads you to believe steroids was the cause? It could be from any number of factors.

You love to present your bullshit opinions as fact with nothing to back them up.

Its a shame that the public today are so hypocritical when it comes to the issue of drugs in sport or drugs in general but lets focus on the prior for a while.Drugs in a multitude of sports have been a part of the culture and fabric of those sports since the 1950s and by the time the 72 Munich games arrived steroids and other drugs had well and truly become a part of training at the elite level. In fact it was not only the Eastern Block nations that were prescribing them to athletes as abuse in the west was even more so prevalent on amatuer and professional sports alike.The book 'False Glory' gave a brutally acurate depiction of life in the NFL during that time.

Today the public expects to see records come crashing down without ever taking the time to critically examine if in fact training methods and superior nutrition has been soley responsible for the advances.The truth as most in the know would readily admit to, is that notion is not only obsurd but downright obscene.It is fantasy and deception at it's worst perpetuated by the television networks and the multi national conglomerates who profit from their respective athletes winning gold but telling a largely ignorant public that it was just hard work and mums spinach.The youth of today should be aware of this and not create dreams or make future plans for sporting invovlement at the elite level baseed on false pretences and pure lies.Pure and simple-to compete and be the best in the world today in many sports equates to partaking in drugs, be they steroids or growth hormones or cocanie/speed/EPO and whatever else that may be used in future.
As for our sport i would ask you to name one winner of the K1 or even one boxing heavyweight champion the last decade who you may believe has never used them or does not on a regular basis.

This hypocracy sadly extends to most governments attitudes by treating drug abuse or use as a crime.Take New York and their Zero Tolerance policy. Has it worked??? Is drug abuse and its associated crime and kaos less prevalent in New York or are those laws there to enable corupt politicians, judges and gangsters to profit and create an underworld economy worth billions.Holland on the other hand has been far more liberal and foward thinking in their drug laws and that society has reaped the rewards through less crime, better treatments for addicts and far better education for their youth who ironically are far less inclined to partake than the youth in countries with arcaic laws which sadly have the opposite effect of what they theoretically espouse.

i think that lebanner has lost a little weight this year and is quicker
and has better endurance because of it. i think i noticed that he was 5 kg
lighter than last year...

I cant believe "some" of you yanks ! just say ! everyones doing them ?? as if its OK ?? GETb real and remember its FALSE and ITS ILLEGAL !! whats clever about that ? in a sport that is about self-respect ! and teaching how to look after yourself etc: etc: TOTALLY Ironic really !! and SAD ! IMO
sandy Mc DONT do drugs Holt
u.k.m.t.a
www.thaiboxing.co.uk

"in a sport that is about self-respect"

That would be nice wouldn't it? The sport is about winning.

SAndy it is not illegal everywhere. Morals are realative to circumstance sometimes. I would not use in my circumstance but some do. That is their choice and their health and many people pay with their lives.

and Matt YES about winning !! thats one of the MAIN reasons i / we do it of course
but doesnt hide the facts/ rules !

i think in every sport,its about winning.but once the respect is pushed aside for winning(money) than the sport becomes corrupted.this of course depends on the rules.if its legal.do whatever it takes to win.if not,than play fair.

david ,

yes, le banner was a bit taller ...and also we have to think how he (and also some others) could "beef up" especialy after 2000 so much in muscular form ...in the beginning those guys were about 95-100 kgs , but know most over 120 kgs and in good muscular form...that means that they used "steroids"...however, ı think that in a cathegorie of abt 120 kgs , 5 kgs loss has not so much effect for speed ...however, this 5 kgs loss may be also the proof that he has used less steroids this time...

among them only "aerst" was natural born weight guy ,not beefed up in short time as others ..(even "ernesto beefed up " in enourmeus way too much; as natural physinomie he was a tall guy with long bones and the best weight cathegorie for him was 90 kgs when he was fighting in excellent speed...

I am a new member to the AX board, but have read a lot of the postings here for sometime. This topic got made me decide to register.

The article from the first post states:
'There's a lot of supplements you can take that can turn into some of these things, also, that are over-the-counter,' Ratner stated. 'And we at the Nevada commission are learning about it. We're really trying to study it and learn it and educate the fighters.' He said that by July 1 a letter will have been sent to fight promoters for fighters 'to let us know what kind of supplements that you're taking that could possibly metabolize into something else. And so the next few months are going to be real educational for everybody.'

Before condemning Rick or any other athlete for testing positive for steroids, perhaps we should wait until the facts are in. It is probable that Rick took a combination of supplements purchased from his local GNC that caused a positive test. Perhaps a combination of Amino Acids, Creatine, and Chromium Picolinate would give a positive test. I for one do not yet believe that Rick used Steroids. I think that a combination of supplements were used, thus a positive test. NFL players have tested positive for steriods due to the supplements they were taking (Jim Miller from the Bears, I believe).

For the record: I do NOT think anyone should use steroids. I also think people should be careful with supplements.

MuayThaiMan re-quotes:-

...The article from the first post states:
'There's a lot of supplements you can take that can turn into some of these things, also, that are over-the-counter,' Ratner stated. 'And we at the Nevada commission are learning about it. We're really trying to study it and learn it and educate the fighters.' He said that by July 1 a letter will have been sent to fight promoters for fighters 'to let us know what kind of supplements that you're taking that could possibly metabolize into something else. And so the next few months are going to be real educational for everybody.' ...

OK, Its now July 16th! Could we have a copy of the letter posted on here then we all know the score?