Category: Doping

CroCop’s “Potential Anti-Doping Policy Violation” – Let’s Talk Retirement and Due Process

November 12, 2015

Update October 12, 2015 – Cro Cop, in a post on his website, has now admitted to taking banned growth hormone noting as follows – “With each blood plasma, I had a little mix of growth hormone to make my shoulder heal faster. Growth hormones are on the list of banned substances. I knew that already..After … More CroCop’s “Potential Anti-Doping Policy Violation” – Let’s Talk Retirement and Due Process

USADA/UFC’s “Prohibited Association” Policy Rears its Head on Cusp of Straweight Title Fight

November 9, 2015

Canadian MMA fighter Valerie Letourneau has learned a lesson about the scope of the USADA/UFC anti-doping’ program’s “prohibited association” policy on the eve of her straweight title fight against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 193. Letourneu planned on being cornered by training partner Hector Lombard, a fighter who is currently serving a one year suspension issued by the … More USADA/UFC’s “Prohibited Association” Policy Rears its Head on Cusp of Straweight Title Fight

Why Vitor Belfort and the UFC’s TRT Athletes Should No Longer Be Fit to Fight

November 5, 2015

This week the most stigmatized fighter for past Testosterone Replacement Therapy use, Vitor Belfort, denied any wrongdoing being quoted as saying that he never fought while on TRT “without approval of a commission and the UFC“. Belfort goes on to note that “fourteen guys” on the UFC’s roster were also on TRT and were presumably granted … More Why Vitor Belfort and the UFC’s TRT Athletes Should No Longer Be Fit to Fight

Wanderlei Silva To Learn His Fate With NSAC Rehearing Today

October 29, 2015

Update November 30, 2015 – The rehearing was scheduled to proceed today but apparently has been further delayed another month. Update October 29 – The October 29 hearing has been adjourned for a month as Silva’s lawyer was not provided with relevant documentation in a timely manner ____________________ (photo via @fightersagenda) After having his lifetime ban for … More Wanderlei Silva To Learn His Fate With NSAC Rehearing Today

USADA Doping Archives – Two Year Ban After Testosterone Detected Through CIR Testing

October 28, 2015

Adding to this site’s archives of USADA anti-doping punishments (which are relevant for UFC fighters as these precedents set the tone for the suspensions they can expect under the UFC’s Anti-Doping Policy) a decision was released today setting out a two year ban for an athlete found using testosterone. Today’s decision (Oscar Tovar) involves a … More USADA Doping Archives – Two Year Ban After Testosterone Detected Through CIR Testing

Supreme Court of Canada Says Doping = Criminal Fraud in Sports

October 16, 2015

Update December 18 – today the Supreme Court of Canada published their full reasons for judgement.  A link to these can be found here. ______________________________________ I have previously suggested that PED use can amount to fraud in the world of combat sports and a cheating athlete can be exposed not only to regulatory consequences but … More Supreme Court of Canada Says Doping = Criminal Fraud in Sports

UFC Anti-Doping Czar Novitzky “Not Everyone Has Signed” Anti-Doping Contract

September 30, 2015

Last month I questioned whether all UFC fighters have agreed to the promoter’s anti-doping policy and pondered what would happen to fighters who refuse to do so.  Yesterday, the UFC’s Vice President of Athlete Health & Performance, Jeff Novitzky, shed some light on these issues. In a broad interview provided to Josh Samman at BloodyElbow, … More UFC Anti-Doping Czar Novitzky “Not Everyone Has Signed” Anti-Doping Contract

Just a Friendly Reminder that Ontario Turns a Blind Eye to Doping in Combat Sports

September 25, 2015

Lost in this week’s story by Josh Gross discussing the UFC’s role in mixed martial arts ‘TRT era’ is the important parallel story that doping is 100% legal under Ontario’s combat sports regulations. Combat sports regulation in Ontario is filled with problems such as the government turning a blind eye to amateur MMA which is illegal … More Just a Friendly Reminder that Ontario Turns a Blind Eye to Doping in Combat Sports

Let’s Talk About What MMA’s Doping and CTE Lawsuit May Look Like

September 22, 2015

Update October 3, 2015 – today at the UFC 192 post fight presser UFC Vice President of Public Relations issued the following comments on this issue – “I think one of the things to keep in mind with this particular topic is any suggestion or inference that there was a cover up regarding to that … More Let’s Talk About What MMA’s Doping and CTE Lawsuit May Look Like

Does the Nevada State Athletic Commission Have a Blood Doping Loophole?

September 9, 2015

Further update October 2016 – Effective September 2016 Nevada updated their combat sports regulations including adopting WADA’s prohibited methods which close the blood-doping loophole and prohibit the use of IV for re-hydration with limited exceptions. _________________________________ Update September 17, 2015 – The NSAC has yet to reply and address this issue.  I should note, however, … More Does the Nevada State Athletic Commission Have a Blood Doping Loophole?