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Who’s Responsible for Curbing Steroid Use in The UFC
In light of the recent events surrounding Chael Sonnen positive test for steroids, the discussion of steroid use and other performance enhancing drugs has dominated conversations.
Dana White’s recent statements that it’s up to the athletic commissions to curb steroid abuse in the UFC raises a serious question about the credibility and acceptability of MMA. Nobody denies that steroids are rampant in MMA and in the UFC. Positive steroid tests are becoming more common than event sell-outs. Likewise, everyone agrees that steroids have no place in sports, including MMA.
White recently denied he had any responsibility for cleaning up his sport. He left that to the athletic commissions. This logic is SEVERLY flawed for at least two reasons. First, the UFC acts as athletic commission in many events, including almost all events overseas. To pass the responsibility to the athletic commission denies the fact that is precisely the role the UFC plays in many of its events. Secondly, athletic commissions are regulatory agencies whose mission is to police UFC events. Blaming the athletic commissions for steroid use in MMA is like blaming the educational system for the high crime rate.
It’s the athletic commissions’ job to CATCH steroid users in MMA. It’s the UFC’s, Strikeforce’s, Bellator’s and the other promoters’ jobs to PREVENT steroid use in the sport. For Dana White to say that he’s not responsible for the rampant steroid use in the sport is as ridiculous as believing that the athletic commissions don’t listen to him and the other promoters who pay thousands and thousands of dollars into states’ treasuries.
Especially in today’s athletic environment, if MMA is to gain wide-spread acceptance, including legalization in New York, the UFC, the sport’s largest and most visible organization, should be taking the lead in curbing steroid abuse, not passing responsibility and putting its head in the sand. Baseball did a great job in showing the fallacy of that reasoning. If White keeps making statements like he made recently, it can’t be long before he replaces Bud Selig in front of a congressional subcommittee.
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