continued on page 66
"even as
performance-
enhancing drug use
was common, nobody
would do anything.
so we did."
—dr. margaret goodman
photography
by
Melissa
Valladares
(hoMansky
and
goodMan);
ap
photo/keVork
djansezian
(Morales)
and urine. Donaire had
signed up with the nonprofit
Voluntary Anti-Doping
Association, agreeing to be
tested for drugs at any time,
with no warning. Without
argument, he gave his visitor
what she requested.
The association was
launched in 2011 by Dr.
Margaret Goodman and Dr.
Edwin "Flip" Homansky,
partners who share long
histories as ringside
physicians. Homansky has
worked some 2,000 fights,
including classic confronta-
tions featuring Thomas
"Hitman" Hearns, Sugar
Ray Leonard, and Mike
At 6
am in a suburb of
Manila in the Philippines, a
directive from Las Vegas set
off a recent ruckus in the
living room of featherweight
boxer Nonito Donaire. He
was fast asleep and had
instructed the housekeeper
not to disturb him under any
circumstances. But a visitor
insisted that Donaire be
roused from slumber.
Certain that she was putting
her job at risk, Donaire's
housekeeper woke him up.
Bleary-eyed but out of bed,
the Vegas-based pugilist saw
an American woman with a
carrying case. He knew what
she had come for: his blood
Tyson (yes, including the
ear-biting incident). He
served as chairman of the
Nevada State Athletic
Commission's Medical
Advisory Board, was vice
president of the Association
of Boxing Commissions, and
has lobbied vigorously for
enhanced drug testing.
Goodman, a neurologist,
consulted with the New York
State Attorney General's
Office on neurological
injuries in boxing and rose
to the post of chief ringside
physician. They share a love
of boxing and a desire to see
combat sports remain pure.
The physicians launched
VADA in response to what
they felt was a lax attitude
toward performance-
enhancing drugs in the
worlds of boxing and mixed
martial arts. Over the last
three years, Goodman and
Homansky have devoted
much of their time and
resources to helping fighters
prove that they're clean and
to offering free education
through their organization,
Fight Club Rules
Former ringside doctors Margaret goodMan and
Flip HoMans
are working tirelessly to keep
combat sports clean.
by michael kaplan
Dr. Margaret Goodman
examines Bobby Boy
Velardez ringside at
Mandalay Bay while Erik
Morales stands victorious.
Margaret Goodman and
Flip Homansky at Las
Vegas's Fasi Action Sports.
64 vegasmagazine.com
PEOPLE Spirit of Generosity
