BOXING Vargas suspended for use of steroids

The boxer claims he was unaware he had taken the banned substance.
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Fernando Vargas wanted everyone to know he didn't know he was taking steroids. Nevada boxing officials wanted Vargas to know that was no excuse.
Both sides got their points across during a hearing before the Nevada Athletic Commission that ended with Vargas being suspended from fighting until June 15 and fined $100,000.
Vargas got a chance to make his case that he would never knowingly use steroids. He also got a harsher penalty than he expected Wednesday when the Nevada Athletic Commission suspended him for nine months retroactive to his Sept. 14 fight with Oscar De La Hoya.
Sidelined
The suspension means Vargas cannot fight until June 15 and will miss a proposed April comeback fight that was to be shown on network TV.
"We like Mr. Vargas but we feel like this is the right thing to do," commission Chairman Luther Mack said.
Vargas spent two hours before the commission telling them he would take responsibility for the positive test, but that he never knowingly used steroids while preparing to meet De La Hoya for the 154-pound titles.
"I live and die in that ring. I don't want people to ever feel I needed something like this," Vargas said.
Commissioners appeared to believe the steroid use was inadvertent, but still voted 4-1 to penalize Vargas and send a message that steroids won't be tolerated. It was believed to be the first time a boxer has been suspended for steroid use, although Francois Botha was stripped of his IBF heavyweight title in 1995 for testing positive in Germany.
"I'm a man. I take full responsibility," Vargas said. "The only thing is the layoff is definitely going to be hard."
Vargas said he had hired a nutritionist in the weeks before the fight to help him lose weight and make the 154-pound limit, and took a number of nutritional supplements and vitamins given to him without questioning them.
He said he had never felt or looked so good before a fight, but had attributed it to the fact he had trained hard and maintained good nutritional habits.