We'll Miss You Hermes

The interesting situation is that of Hermes Franca. I highly suggest you follow the link below to the LA Times recounting of the hearing. As you probably know, Franca made no attempt to hide his guilt in taking a banned substance. Franca issued a public apology and explained his actions in great detail. In appearing before the commission Franca sought to have his suspension reduced. You might think that Franca's willingness to take responsibility for his actions would work in his favor. Apparently, that wasn't so. While the commission commended his honesty after the fact, his suspension was upheld and Franca will be banned from competing for one full year.

Boxer James Toney saw his suspension reduced to 180 days. What superior tactic did Toney employ, seeing that Franca's honesty first policy failed? Toney angrily struck out at the commission, claiming a panel member "disrespected him," and using expletives to ram the point home that he was "set up." Toney failed to supply any evidence to his claims beyond vitriolic statements yet managed to sway the member of the commission. Franca, as you might suspect, was nonplussed:

[Toney] didn't prove nothing, and I come here to tell the truth, and now he's going to be fighting again in four months and I'm out for a year," Franca said. "I was so surprised. I didn't protest like him. I said what I did.

I have to agree with Franca. We constantly preach honesty and responsibility, yet when a man steps up and admits his mistake, he isn't rewarded in the least. And I'm not suggesting that Franca deserved to have his suspension reduced, but there definitely seems to be a double standard in place. It was suggested that Toney's lengthy history in the support earned him the benefit of the doubt. Well, Franca is a 24-fight veteran in a relatively new sport. He should have been granted the same treatment.