Pacquiao may face probe for perjury
Manny Pacquiao faces a potential perjury charge after failing to disclose a shoulder injury before his defeat by Floyd Mayweather.
Pacquiao will spend up to a year on the sidelines as he prepares to undergo surgery on his torn rotator cuff, an injury he suffered in training.
But the Filipino star could also be caught up in l egal action after signing a pre-fight questionnaire without revealing he was hurt.
Sportsmail has obtained a copy of the document and although it shows that Pacquiao was taking several painkillers, the word ‘no’ is marked next to the question: ‘Have you had any injury to your shoulders, elbows, or hands that needed evaluation or examination?’.
By signing the document, both Pacquiao and his adviser Michael Koncz swore ‘under penalty of perjury’ that the information was true.
Under nevada law, perjury of this nature is punishable by between one and four years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 (£3,305).
Pacquiao could also be fined or banned by the nevada State athletic Commission.
The commission’s chairman Francisco aguilar said that the state attorney general’s office will look at why the injury was not declared.
‘We will gather all the facts and follow the circumstances,’ he said. ‘at some point we will have some discussion. as a licensee of the commission, you want to make sure fighters are giving you up-to-date information.
‘ The medications he was taking were disclosed on his medical questionnaire, but not the actual injury.
‘This isn’t our first fight. This is our business. There is a process and when you try to screw with the process, it’s not going to work for you.’
Koncz insisted he had made an ‘inadvertent mistake’ and that he took ‘full responsibility’ for the way the form was filled in.
Pacquiao had considered pulling out of the fight but believed he would be allowed to have an anti- i nflammatory injection in the dressing room.
But the necessary paperwork was not filed and the commission denied the request.
Pacquiao’s promoter Top Rank said in a statement that they had disclosed the injury and treatment to the United States anti-Doping agency (USaDa) who approved the treatments.
But USaDa chief executive Travis Tygart said: ‘It was not an anti- doping issue. The real question is why his camp checked “no” on the disclosure.
‘Either they made a terrible mistake not to follow the rules, or they were trying not to give information to the other side. I’m not sure there’s a middle ground.’
Pacquiao said the injury flared up in the third round of the ultimately anti climactic $300million bout and his doctor confirmed the 36-year- old was facing a long recovery, ending his hopes of a rematch with Mayweather, who plans to retire in September.
He said: ‘Once you know he has a tear that is not going to heal on its own, then the decision for an active person is you want to try to fix this before it gets bigger.
‘If all goes as expected with the surgery and the rehab is successful, Manny could be back training in about six months.
‘at that point, he will be regaining strength and endurance — and competition is reasonable within nine months to a year. But this is a severe enough tear that it won’t heal without being repaired.’