UFC Planning for Widespread Random Drug-Testing, Out-of-Competition Drug Testing for All Main Event Fighters, and 2 to 4 Year Bans for Positive Tests to Combat PED Issue

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Jon Jones tests positive for cocaine. Anderson Silva tests positive for steroids. Hector Lombard tests positive for steroids. When is enough going to be enough? Apparently now.

There are still a lot of moving parts to put in place, but the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Wednesday announced its new approach to drug testing, which it believes will help reduce the number of UFC athletes using performance-enhancing drugs.

Citing an “alarming rate” of 26.3 percent for UFC fighters testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs in verified out-of-competition drug tests, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta unveiled the general plans for the UFC to increase its support of the drug testing process.

“Something needs to be done to increase the amount of out-of-competition testing,” said Fertitta, before laying out the UFC’s plan to help increase testing and to push for more severe penalties for fighters that are caught.

“The UFC will immediately advocate to all commissions to test every fighter in competition from every card. We want 100-percent of the fighters tested the night that they compete in competition. And if there is any cost associated with that that’s outside of any state or federation’s budget, we will pay for any additional cost required,” said Fertitta.

That would be slightly less than 1,000 tests annually based on UFC plans for 41 events per calendar year with 12 bouts on each card. The number would obviously adjust up or down depending on how many events are held and the number of fights on each card.

“In addition to that, the UFC in conjunction with local athletic commissions will subject all main event and championship bout fighters to enhanced out-of-competition PED testing effective July 1, 2015,” he continued.

“Given that, we assume there will be approximately 96 marquee fighters tested on an annual basis, once again, given the assumption of 41 fight cards. We also assume that of the 13 premier events or pay-per-view events, eight of those will have double championship bouts. That’s how we get to that number.”

While that may sound tough on the surface, it has long been known from the patter of drug abuse in other sports, that when an athlete is aware when they will be subject to testing, he or she can often find a way to skirt around getting caught.

Just ask disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, who suffered an extremely public fall from grace recently after years of dodging tests and authorities.

What the UFC hopes will add some heft to its push to reduce performance-enhancing drug use is random out-of-competition testing and making a strong push for much stiffer penalties than are currently in place.

“All UFC fighters will be subject to (random PED testing) effective July 1, 2015. That means approximately 585 of the fighters on the roster, which fluctuates on a week-to-week basis. They will be subject to testing by an independent third party, using (World Anti-Doping Agency) testing standards,” according to Fertitta.


That means whether a fighter has a bout scheduled or not, no matter the circumstance, he or she is subject to having a tester come knocking on the door to collect a sample.

What Fertitta believes will be the final piece to the puzzle, however, is increased penalties.

Currently, a first-time PEDs offender, depending upon the regulations in whatever jurisdiction an event is being held, faces anywhere from a six to twelve month penalty, which is usually coupled with a fine and the requirement to provide a clean test result upon re-applying for a license to fight.

Under the WADA code, as of Jan. 1, 2015, the penalty for an intentional first-time doper increased from the past standard of a two-year ban to four years. An athlete guilty of inadvertent doping gets a two-year ban, which can be reduced if they have “substantial proof that they were not at fault or intending to cheat.”

Fertitta said on Wednesday that the UFC stands in support of the WADA code, and believes a two- or four-year ban would go a long way towards deterring fighters from taking the risk of doping.

“Maybe most importantly, in ridding our sport of PED usage, we are advocating for longer suspensions and harsher penalties issued by state athletic commissions, international federations, whatever body is handing down penalties,” said Fertitta.

“Currently, I believe that the WADA standard on a first-time offender for PED use is a two-year ban. We certainly advocate for that. We understand that WADA is either contemplating or will institute a first-time offender a four-year ban. We will absolutely support that as well.

“There has to be harsher penalties to rid the sport of PED usage.”

Fertitta and UFC General Counsel Lawrence Epstein explained that the fight promotion would not be entering into the business of drug testing. They intend to spend millions of dollars to help support the various governing bodies in their testing efforts, and will be contracting a third party organization to handle the UFC’s random drug testing program.

They are still in negotiations with various parties, but Fertitta stated that it would be a leading global organization that already handles this type of testing that the promotion eventually uses.

“We have been and are currently engaged in talks with numerous reputable global drug testing organizations to create this random drug testing protocol. We’re confident we can have it in place by July 1, 2015.”

Even though July 1 is the UFC’s target date, globally, it faces an uphill battle, especially when it comes to increasing penalties.

Implementing the drug testing plans is largely a matter of organization and money, putting the pieces in place, but increasing penalties requires the UFC to work with any number of global entities not only to get support for the move, but also to possibly have to change statutes and regulations.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-plans-random-drug-testing-and-pushes-for-two-to-four-year-bans

I'm fine with that.
Either test and actually do something about it or don't test at all.

Yeah, I watched this yesterday... talk about a boring presser. But shit is gonna get cleaned up! I'm still pretty disappointed in the stance they are taking on Jon Jones. Dana's BS excuse of "out of competition" just doesn't matter. If you truly want a "clean sport" and are concerned for fighters safety it shouldn't be "the night of fight tests only matter", especially just for PEDs, many rec drugs are worse for the body than some PEDs.

I just hope they follow through on this. They've come out guns blazing before like this, only to slack off and put it on the back burner, and then Dana just ends up swearing at anybody who asks him about it and tries to make them feel like they're the asshole for inquiring.

I think this all sounds pretty good to me.

I actually agree with Dana on the out of competition recreational drug thing. If it doesnt give a training or healing advantage I dont give a shit what they do out of competition as long as they dont test positive for it on fight night.

FistK wrote:

I think this all sounds pretty good to me.

I actually agree with Dana on the out of competition recreational drug thing.  If it doesnt give a training or healing advantage I dont give a shit what they do out of competition as long as they dont test positive for it on fight night.

Yeah, but just imagine how much of a PR headache it would be every time a photo or video pops up on Facebook or Twitter of a high-profile fighter snorting rails off of some drunk girls tits at a party. How is Dana supposed to address that when questioned in a press conference?
"Well we don't test for that, so I don't care."

I'm not sure that would go so smoothly. lol!

Triggerman99 wrote:

FistK wrote:

I think this all sounds pretty good to me.

I actually agree with Dana on the out of competition recreational drug thing.  If it doesnt give a training or healing advantage I dont give a shit what they do out of competition as long as they dont test positive for it on fight night.

Yeah, but just imagine how much of a PR headache it would be every time a photo or video pops up on Facebook or Twitter of a high-profile fighter snorting rails off of some drunk girls tits at a party. How is Dana supposed to address that when questioned in a press conference?
"Well we don't test for that, so I don't care."

I'm not sure that would go so smoothly. lol!

Wel I think that would fall under the code of conduct policy. If you are seen snorting coke or get arrest for something I thnk you would still get suspended under the UFC code of conduct policy. They are just saying they won't be testing for recreational drugs outside of competition.