Vargas tests positive for banned drug

Dean Juipe

Friday, Sept. 27, 2002 | 11:06 a.m.

Boxer Fernando Vargas is facing a possible suspension and fine from the Nevada State Athletic Commission after testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid, NSAC executive director Marc Ratner confirmed today.

"I personally would never prejudge anything and I want to give him his due process, but the test result we received (Thursday) certainly indicates he tested positive for stanozolol," Ratner said.

"We'll file a formal complaint against him next week, then he has 30 days to respond and then we'll set a hearing date if we have to."

Vargas, 24, provided a urine specimen following his TKO-11 loss to Oscar De La Hoya Sept. 14 at Mandalay Bay. The specimen was forwarded to the AML Laboratory in San Diego, where it was split into two samples.

Only the result of the first sample has been made known, and it showed a positive result for the steroid as well as for an over-the-counter cough medicine. Ratner said the latter was "not unusual" and would not be of interest to the NSAC.

Vargas was warned via a letter dated July 1 and sent by Ratner that he would not only be tested for illegal drugs but for steroids after his fight with De La Hoya.

"I personally talked to both camps about this," Ratner said.

Vargas, presently vacationing in Hawaii, will be the recipient of a complaint to be authored by deputy attorney general Keith Kizer when the latter returns to his office next week.

Should Vargas admit to taking the banned substance or be found guilty at a hearing on the matter, the NSAC could impose a wide array of penalties. A suspension and a fine is a reasonable expectation.

"I wouldn't speculate on what the commission can or can't do," Ratner said. "But Fernando obviously ingested something or took something that he shouldn't have."

Ratner said he found the news of Vargas' failed test disturbing after the Vargas vs. De La Hoya fight went well and there were no other troubles.

"I guess my happiness with everything having gone so smooth has ended," he said. "It just shows that there's always something."