Combat Sports Law

In 2015 the Nevada State Athletic Commission revealed that Jon Jones tested positive for cocaine metabolites in a random out of competition drug test taken 30 days prior to a schedeld title defense at UFC 182.

At the time the NSAC adopted WADA standards which do not ban cocaine out of competition leaving the regulator with no sanctioning options for the finding and with a potential legal issue on their hands for exceeding their jurisdiction by testing for a non-prohibited substance.

The NSAC appears to be responding to this by overhauling their regulations expressly making cocain, along with other stimulants, banned at all times, not just in competition. (shout out to Twitter’s @dimspace for the find).

Specifically, proposed NSAC NAC-467.850(1)(f) reads as follows:

Section s-6 of the 2016 WADA Prohibited List lists not only cocaine but all of the following stimulants which, if this regulation passes, will be banned year round for all licenced fighters in Nevada:

As @dimspace notes, these changes are problematic as they create friction among competing anti-doping schemes with little explanation for the rift with WADA.  Whatever reason for these proposed changes, all fighters licenced to compete in Nevada must do their due diligence and ensure they can comply with the NSAC’s contemplated new standards.