UFC to begin random out of competition PED testing next year
UFC to begin random out of competition PED testing next year
The UFC’s Vice-President of Regulatory Affairs, Marc Ratner appeared recently on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, and said that organization would be ramping up out-of-competition testing in the new year.
“I think that this year-round testing and out of competition is very important,” said Ratner as transcribed by Chuck Mindenahall for MMA Fighting.
“Unlike baseball if you’re taking a performance enhancing drug and you hit the ball further, that’s a big advantage, but in fighting, whether it’s boxing or in MMA — and you’re chemically stronger and you win a fight that you may not of and hurt somebody and test positive — that could be a criminal offense as well as losing the fight or it becoming a no contest.
“So I’m all for out-of-competition testing. I want an even playing field and I believe in it with all my heart.”
Formerly, Ratner was the Executive Director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Ratner joined the Nevada Athletic Commission in 1985, He became the Chief Inspector of the Nevada athletic commission in 1987 and Executive Director in 1992. Ratner left the Nevada Athletic Commission and joined the UFC as its vice president for regulatory affairs on May 15, 2006.
“I’ve had some proposals from different [companies]. I’ve had some telephonic talks and one in-person meeting. Yeah, we’re still in the process. One of the hold-ups will be…if the fighter tests positive, the arbitration process, how it will be dealt with in every state. We have to make sure that if somebody is suspended that all states honor it, which they should, and foreign countries also.
“So there are some logistics, but we are going to do something. I’m very confident. It may not be by the first of the year but it’ll be right after that. We are in the process, and everybody here has bought into it, so we are going to do something it’s just a question of when.”
“And just so everybody knows, out-of-competition is for performance enhancing drugs. So we’re not talking about illegal street drugs, we’re only talking about performance enhancing, and if somebody had smoked dope in February and fighting in April it’s not relevant to what we’re talking about.”
Ratner was asked if the entire card would be tested or just select fighters, and he said that would depend on the independent party conducting the tests.
“That’ll be up to the drug testing company that we select, and they will randomly test, and it’s all be out-of-competition,” he said.
