The Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission (CABMMA) believes it acted in an ethical and appropriate way while collecting a urine sample from Jose Aldo in June.
In a statement released Tuesday, CABMMA COO Cristiano Sampaio defends the actions of his organization that were detailed in a report from Drug Free Sport to the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) and said that if CABMMA’s version of events were put forth, Drug Free Sport’s “image and credibility” would be “severely compromised.”
In the report from Drug Free Sport COO Chris Guinty to NAC executive director Bob Bennett, Guinty wrote about dubious behavior from CABMMA, including a CABMMA doping control officer asking Aldo, the UFC featherweight champion, for his autograph and a photo after collecting his urine sample. Guinty also detailed how Sampaio allegedly pushed back deadlines for the sample to be shipped to accommodate Aldo.
Aldo was being tested in advance of his UFC 189 main event against Conor McGregor on July 11. Aldo subsequently pulled out of that fight two weeks out due to a rib injury.
Drug Free Sport collector Ben Mosier, who was working on behalf of NAC, was detained by a Brazilian federal police officer, who was training at Aldo’s Nova Uniao gym June 11. Mosier was found to have the incorrect work visa for collecting urine samples. Sampaio became involved after being contacted by Aldo’s coach Andre Pederneiras and he would not let the collection happen unless it was overseen by CABMMA.
Mosier was allowed to monitor the collection June 12, but Aldo was more than two hours late to the gym for the process and, Guinty wrote, that Sampaio accommodated him by pushing back the deadline for shipping the sample. Aldo also dropped and spilled the first sample taken June 12, so the useable sample wasn’t finally procured three hours after it was supposed to be, according to Guinty in the report.
Sampaio said in the statement, which can be found below in its entirety, that CABMMA did nothing wrong.
CABMMA has no intention on detailing the whole incident as Drug Free Sport try to do so in its statement, as we feel that their image and credibility can be severely compromised if all facts were exposed. Our entity does not agree with such unprofessionalism and the sport will not benefit from these comments.
Regarding the visa and immigration problem Mr. Ben Mosier had, we suggest that Drug Free Sport should immediately contact the Federal Police in Brazil to discuss this issue since CABMMA had no jurisdiction and competence to interfere in such matter.
As to the process itself, we were contacted by Mr. Chris Guinty (Drug Free Sport) and Executive Director Mr. Bob Bennett (NAC) on Thursday morning which both asked me personally by phone for CABMMA to promptly collect the athlete’s anti-doping test.
CABMMA understands, that based on the circumstances, the process was done in the best and most appropriate way possible and believes that its conduct was ethical, safe and respectful to all parties involved.
Finally, it is important to state that CABMMA is working along and committed to USADA and ABCD , WADA-accredited agencies, to avoid incidents as these and guarantee golden standards for in- and out-of-competition collection processes, implementing in Brazil a structured and secure anti-doping policy for the sport of MMA.