NSAC drops the hammer, announces new stricter, stiffer penalties for failed drug tests

Quote :

After months of research and debate, the Nevada Athletic Commission on Friday voted unanimously to increase its penalties for athletes that run afoul of Nevada’s regulations when it comes to drug testing.

Of note, a first-time steroid offender will now receive a three-year suspension and lose 50-75 percent of his or her fight purse. There is also a rather short road to a lifetime ban for repeat offenders, not only for steroid use, but in every category, as noted below.

If a fighter wins a bout and fails a drug test, the outcome of the bout for that fighter will be changed to a loss with a footnote on the fighter’s record that the loss was due to a positive drug test. In the past, the result would have been changed to a no-contest for the winning fighter who tested positive and the losing fighter. Under the new guidelines, the losing fighter, if clean, would still have the result changed to a no-contest.

The new punishments instituted for drug testing infractions by the Nevada Athletic Commission are separated into differing categories depending upon the type of drug detected or the type of infraction.

The complete list is as follows:

Avoiding Testing / Detection / Supplying a Urine Sample not of human origin or not of the tested athlete, adulterants, drugs (including diuretics) used as masking agents:

First Offense: 48-month suspension and fined 75 percent of purse
Second Offense: Lifetime ban and fined 100 percent of purse
Anabolic Steroids (includes testosterone and HGH):

First Offense: 36-month suspension and fined 50-70 percent of purse
Second Offense: 48-month suspension and fined 75-100 percent of purse
Third Offense: Lifetime ban and fined 100 percent of purse
Stimulants (amphetamines, cocaine, etc.):

First Offense: 24-month suspension and fined 35-45 percent of purse
Second Offense: 36-month suspension and fined 50-60 percent of purse
Third Offense: Lifetime ban and fined 100 percent of purse
Diuretics used to cut weight:

First Offense: 24-month suspension and fined 30-40 percent of purse
Second Offense: 36-month suspension and fined 40-50 percent of purse
Third Offense: Lifetime ban and fined 100 percent of purse
Sedatives, Muscle Relaxants, Sleep Aids, Anxiolytics, Opiates and Cannabis:

First Offense: 18-month suspension and fined 30-40 percent of purse
Second Offense: 24-month suspension and fined 40-50 percent of purse
Third Offense: 36-month suspension and fined 60-75 percent of purse
Fourth Offense: Lifetime ban and fined 100 percent of purse

In addition to stiffer penalties and a clear road to a lifetime ban, the NAC also instituted a change that could become known as the “Jon Jones Rule.” The commission has deemed Diuretics Used for Weight Cutting and Stimulants banned at all times, not only “in-competition.”

Stimulants were only banned “in-competition” – that is a day prior to a fight and the time after the fight in which a test sample is collected – when Jon Jones tested positive for cocaine. He was not penalized by the commission because the cocaine metabolite was found during “out-of-competition” testing and was not considered a banned substance during such testing.

The changes are expected to go into effect on Sept. 1, 2015.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/nevada-drops-the-hammer-on-drug-test-offenders-including-lifetime-bans

First one reminds me of Bones!!!

Reminds me more of Wanderlei!

^^^^^^

hahahahaha!!!!

We shall see won't we. I suspect there will be inherent loopholes yet to be found.

I don't know, it seems pretty straightforward to me. Not much room for interpretation.

My only fear is that this goes by the wayside a la the UFC doing it's own drug testing.
I know this is the commission, and not the UFC, but if the punishments start coming on thick and hitting the UFC roster hard, I could see Dana trying to make a deal with the commssion to lighten things up a little bit.

Those percentages are too high IMO... I know you want em to think about it and get straight... but jesus 30-45% first offense.... 100% purse in some instances... WTF?

Well there's no 100% fine for any first offense in any category.
If you're dumb or arragant enough to commit the same infraction 2 or 3 times, you deserve to have your entire fight purse revoked IMO.

If the "cheating" was accidental sure less than 30% but comon these guys are actively cheating and putting clean athletes health and safety in jeopardy and bringing the whole sport into disrepute.... Naw fine em more!

I'm fine with banning and taking a small percent... but the 2nd & even the 3rd time offense 100% purse shit is bs. I would be ok with said fighter not getting his $ and giving it to the opponent more than the NSAC getting to pocket it. That's the part that really bothers me... the athletic commission gets the %age? That's fucked up IMO

^^^
Yeah I agree with that 100%. The commission shouldn't get the $$$. I get it that it's in their jurisdiction or whatever, but that seems like a major checks and balances issue right there. If they're the ones who get the coin in the event of an infraction, no shit they're gonna want the penalties as stiff as possible!
At the very least it should go back to the UFC. I know; the UFC is greedy enough as it is, but they're the ones paying the fighters in the first place, so it's only fair. With the commission getting the money, it's like the UFC is paying them to penalize their own employees!!

Exactly! That's just messed up.