UFC partners with Drug Free Sport International following USADA split
Following yesterday’s groundbreaking announcement that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) had severed ties with the UFC, the world’s largest MMA promotion has announced its newest partner in the fight to keep the sport clean.
UFC senior vice president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky today revealed in a press conference that Drug Free Sport International will handle athlete sample collections beginning in 2024.
“[Drug Free Sport International] currently handle collection duties for the following professional sports leagues — they have 325 long-term tenured sports clients including the NFL, the NCAA, Major League Baseball, NBA, WNBA, NASCAR, horse racing integrity and welfare unit, PGA, LPGA, FIFA, Crossfit,” Novitzky said. “They actually help out with some drug-testing with various National Anti-Doping Authorities throughout the world and various sports federations. They virtually collect samples for everybody.”
Dr. Daniel Eichner was announced as the new science advisor overseeing testing and results.
“Dr. Dan Eichner runs the Sports Medicine Testing and Research Laboratory in Salt Lake City, UT, also known as SMRTL, one of two United States [World Anti-Doping Agency] accredited anti-doping laboratories, the highest accreditation standard in anti-doping in the world,” Novitzky stated.
“He will be our science advisor. He’s going to direct the program on test distribution, smarter testing planning, more efficient testing planning. He will evaluate the testing results in the program and make recommendations to our independent administrator.”
The UFC has been working with USADA since 2015 and will continue to run the anti-doping program until Dec. 31.
