Combat Sports Law

Today cannabis became legal across Canada for recreational use.  For years before it has also been legal for medicinal purposes.  Despite changing attitudes and laws cannabis remains a banned substance in competition by many State and Provincial Athletic Commissions.  The World Anti Doping Agency removed alcohol and CBD from their prohibited list in 2018.   THC, … More In Wake of Legalization the UFC’s Elias Theodorou Calls for Cannabis Therapeutic Exemptions

Late last month reasons for judgement were published by the US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico (h/t MMAPayout) upholding an arbitration clause diverting a lawsuit alleging violations of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act from court and into private arbitration. In the recent case (Trout v. WBO) the Plaintiff was a professional … More WBO Diverts Lawsuit Alleging Ali Act Violations Into Arbitration

Last week the Plaintiffs filed their opposition to Zuffa’s motion for summary judgement in the ongoing antitrust lawsuit alleging unlawful business practices by the UFC. Zuffa is trying to have the lawsuit tossed before trial arguing that, now that discovery is complete, no genuine issue of material fact remains and the case has no chance … More Plaintiffs Fine Tune Arguments in UFC Anti Trust Lawsuit

After testing positive for the steroid turinabol during an in-competition drug test at UFC 214 Jon Jones exposed himself to a host of potential legal consequences given that this was his second anti-doping infraction in the UFC’s USADA era. Today McLaren Global Sports Solutions published their arbitration decision revealing Jon Jones’ fate under the UFC … More Jones Secures Reduced Doping Suspension By Providing USADA With “Substantial Assistance”

MMA-Today reports that the UFC’s Mara Borella was just handed a 26 year ban by the National Anti Doping Agency of Italy for the distribution and sale of cannabis and cocaine. So what does this mean under the UFC’s custom tailored anti-doping policy?  Perhaps nothing.  As the Jon Jones case illustrated, cocaine use or possession out … More Mara Borella’s Drug Trafficking Suspension and the UFC/USADA Policy