Since its first introduction to the North American sports landscape, mixed martial arts has been on an unstoppable course of evolution. We’ve seen it unfold with the athletes, the business, and now we could be witnessing its next stage with the regulatory bodies.
During the Jan. 16 edition of UFC Central radio I spoke with Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, a veteran boxing and MMA writer. Part of our conversation surrounded the current debate between V.A.D.A. (the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association), W.A.D.A. (the World Anti-Doping Agency) and how they are used by current state and provincial athletic commissions.
Many believe that V.A.D.A. is the better of the two organizations partly because they test randomly, a key component in catching cheaters. They show up unannounced and escort a subject into immediate testing. Regular testing is pre-determined and usually after a bout has concluded, making it more of an I.Q. test. Random testing is what should be mandatory in MMA.
The other benefit pundits pointed to was V.A.D.A.’s use of carbon isotope ratio testing, which determines whether there is synthetic testosterone in a subject’s system. No matter what their testosterone to epitestosterone ratio may be — even if it’s 1:1 — it does not mean a cheater has passed. Yes, their levels may be perfect, but it’s what’s inside those levels that count. So while quantitatively speaking all is copacetic, it’s the quality that counts, and if there’s synthetic testosterone in that optimal ratio the subject will test positive.
This was one of the main reasons Georges St-Pierre chose V.A.D.A. over the other organizations. Despite his selection, he was asked to do W.A.D.A. testing instead. GSP’s reply was that he would do both, seeing as they both use the same laboratories for the results.
The caveat that comes with carbon isotope ratio testing is that it’s expensive, and that commissions do not have the budget for it. It’s an irrelevant argument to some, as most testing costs are generally paid for by the promoter(s). There may be a light at the end of the tunnel, however, as commissions are now doing “enhanced testing,” similar to what V.A.D.A. has been doing since day one.
So why not simply use V.A.D.A. for everything? Well, politics aside, Iole mentioned that there are still other issues that must be ironed with the organization first, but the reason used most against it is “jurisdiction.”
In 2012, boxer Erik Morales tested positive for Clenbuterol prior to his bout with Danny Garcia. It was U.S.A.D.A. (the United States Anti-Doping Agency) who did the testing, but the New York State Athletic Commission allowed the bout to continue. That’s a red flag, whether it’s jurisdiction or not.
Enter Erik Magraken, a combat sports law consultant who just so happens to be a litigation lawyer based in British Columbia.
To summarize what Magraken recently wrote on his Canadian MMA Law Blog, times are changing for the commissions and they better prepare themselves accordingly or risk being sued.
State and provincial regulators have a duty to make sure participants compete in a safe environment, despite having athletes sign a waiver that informs them of the inherent risks that come with competing in a sanctioned MMA bout, and removing any liability from the commission. Not so fast, Jack.
The key here is fraud and as Magraken suggests, if a would-be plaintiff can prove that a regulator could have done more to prevent damage incurred from a competitor who was on performance enhancing drugs, things could get real ugly for the defence. In fact, it could be a game-changer for the sport of MMA.
You think the NFL’s proposed settlement of $760-million with former players was a lot? Think again. This continuation of MMA’s evolution will have various stages, but the good news is that change is upon us. The current trajectory towards a bad ending may see a fork in the road, a destination change towards a safe and clean sport. But change is required and should not be a victim of procrastination and politics.
In the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. Day south of the border, I leave you with one of Dr. King’s quotes: “The time is always right to do what is right.”