UFC has turned its PED testing program "entirely over to" the USADA at a "cost of several million dollars per year," according to Kevin Iole of YAHOO SPORTS. The USADA will now "have the authority to randomly test any fighter at any time for any reason." UFC fighters are not unionized and there is no CBA, but UFC Exec VP & COO Lawrence Epstein said that there are "no legal impediments to implementing the deal, which begins July 1." He added that all UFC contracts "include provisions that permit the testing." Iole reported the UFC will have "no advance knowledge of who is being tested, nor will it have a say in when or what methodologies are used." The UFC-USADA contract "calls for 2,750 tests in a calendar year, which equates to roughly 5 1/2 tests per fighter per year." The USADA will "use its best judgment on whom to test and when." Penalties for failing a test "are severe." The first offense "will be a two-year suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs, with the possibility of four years for aggravating circumstances." The penalties "double with a second offense and double again on a third offense." If a state or country’s regulatory body issues a punishment that is "stiffer than the UFC punishment, the lengthier suspension will be recognized." UFC President Dana White said that although he knows that losing fighters to positive drug tests "could severely hurt a card and thus the bottom line, it’s a risk he’s willing to take" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 6/3). In Las Vegas, Adam Hill writes there will be a "whistle-blower line for fighters to provide information on possible doping violations and an investigative arm to pursue leads outside of positive tests" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 6/4).
A NECESSARY STEP: Fighter Daniel Cormier called this a step UFC "has to take," as people "want to compete in a clean sport." Cormier: "UFC has removed itself from the drug-testing so the people that have conspiracies --‘well the UFC is going hide this guy’s test’ -- there’s no hiding anything." FS1's Kenny Florian said, "It’s going to take the sport to a whole new level.” White said, "This is the right thing to do for the sport of mixed martial arts. It’s the right thing to do for the athletes. There’s going to be a lot of education.” He added, "It is the toughest drug-test policy in all of sports, and it’s important” ("UFC Tonight," FS1, 6/3).
HERE COMES THE SUN: In West Palm Beach, Hal Habib reported UFC after a three-year absence is "returning to South Florida with UFC Fight Night at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood on June 27." White said, "(I’m) excited to be back down there. I actually like that arena. ... It’s been a long time since we’ve been down there." He added, "We’re working on a card in Puerto Rico. We’re going everywhere. So yeah, eventually, Cuba." White said of lagging attendance in South Florida, "We’ve already established that place is a hot spot for mixed martial arts training and participating. The pay-per-views do very well. The thing is, with Florida, I think we need to bring a really big event. When we really go back in South Florida, we need to bring a really big pay-per-view down there." Meanwhile, White said, "What we’re hoping for is UFC 200 is going to be in New York City" (PALM BEACH POST, 5/31).
