UFC president Dana White says he’s ‘thrilled’ with the Association of Ringside Physicians for endorsing the elimination of testosterone replacement therapy in mixed martial arts.
“The doctors came out and said they want to ban it? Well, that’s the answer,” White told The Associated Press (AP) on Monday. “It’s legal in the sport. The commissions let you do it. You get an exemption, and you have to be monitored and all the stuff that’s going on, but if they’re going to do away with it? There you go. It’s a problem solved.”
The ARP, an ‘an international, non-profit organization dedicated to the health and safety of the boxer and mixed martial arts athlete,’ released a position statement on Monday claiming the approval of therapeutic use exemptions (TUE) for combat athletes are ‘rarely justified’ and may endanger them, especially the opponents of fighters using testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).
The incidence of hypogonadism requiring the use of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in professional athletes is extraordinarily rare. Accordingly, the use of an anabolic steroid such as testosterone in a professional boxer or mixed martial artist is rarely justified. Steroid use of any type, including unmerited testosterone, significantly increases the safety and health risk to combat sports athletes and their opponents. TRT in a combat sports athlete may also create an unfair advantage contradictory to the integrity of sport. Consequently, the Association of Ringside Physicians supports the general elimination of therapeutic use exemptions (TUE) for testosterone replacement therapy.
At the center of the debate is 36-year-old UFC middleweight contender Vitor Belfort. Tentatively scheduled to face middleweight champion Chris Weidman this summer in Las Vegas, Belfort would need approval of a TUE by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) to continue his TRT. Having tested positive in 2006 for 4-hydroxytestosterone while competing in Nevada, the governing body would need to review its policy of not allowing a TUE if an individual’s needs derive from past non-sanctioned use. According to the AP, White went so far as to say he hopes the NSAC doesn’t grant Belfort his exemption.
“He drives me crazy, and me and Vitor were not on good terms a few months ago,” White said. “Just because this whole TRT thing, I think, is unfair, and I said we’re going to test the living (daylights) out of him (during training). And we have, and he has complied, and he has been within the limits he’s supposed to have.”
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Fight of the season. Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva absolutely got into a brawl Monday on the set of TUF: Brazil 3.
Two belts. Johny Hendricks say he wants the middleweight strap once he’s done cleaning out 170. “I want to win [the 170-pound belt], defend it, do whatever the UFC wants me to do…hopefully I can get it, defend it a couple of times and say, ‘hey, can I move up to 185?'”
Fortunes changed for five. Dave Meltzer shows us where Ben Henderson, Josh Thomson, Donald Cerrone, Stipe Miocic and Eddie Wineland go from here following UFC on FOX 10.
‘Rotten.’ The woman accused of harassing Anderson Silva via Twitter could face up to six months in jail.
‘What a f——- moron.’ Dana White does not sound supportive towards Roy Nelson’s bid for the office of NSAC executive director.
It’s Tuesday, so make sure to check out The MMA Hour featuring Johny Hendricks, manager Alex Davis, Ricardo Almeida and Benson Henderson’ long-time coach John Crouch.
MEDIA STEW
Chael Sonnen has more fun things to say about Wanderlei Silva.
Dana stops by FOX Sports Live.
UFC 169 Countdown: Frank Mir vs. Alistair Overeem.
Cris Cyborg talks Rousey/McMann, Holly Holm, watching Rousey/Tate and what’s next for her.
Ken Shamrock talks steroids in MMA.
Paul Daley on the art of the perfect KO.
A dramatic reading from Nate Diaz.
Long watches.
MMA Tete A Tete UFC Fight Pass 1
Knuckle Up #433: Where UFC On Fox 10 Screws The Just + The Unjust Alike
TWEETS
Kennedy approves.
So the Association for Ringside Physicians supports elimination of TRT in MMA, the fighters want it gone. Only the cheaters want to keep it.
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) January 27, 2014
Moving on.
Learn from it. Work harder to make a come back. #lessonlearned #positiveminded #2014 http://t.co/g9sTE7Q5HL
— Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) January 27, 2014
The boss.
Kinko’s told me to express myself. Please like http://t.co/QANWnxP1sh Thanks for the support! Please retweet and… http://t.co/KBE5OGPqbV
— Roy Nelson (@roynelsonmma) January 28, 2014
Intriguing.
ALERT: I SAID WEEKS BACK A CHANGE WAS COMING AFTER GOING FOR A LONG WALK WITH ROSE WE’VE MADE A… http://t.co/i6QlWhDWJ5
— Pat Barry (@HypeOrDie) January 28, 2014
Moving up.
The updated rankings look fun! I’m already excited to see what’s ahead. @danawhite @lorenzofertitta @seanshelby pic.twitter.com/0kBTAjQVUh
— Jeremy Stephens (@LiLHeathenMMA) January 27, 2014
Congrats.
???????????????????????????? Today was my wedding reception. pic.twitter.com/otiFzvwRvK
— Satoshi Ishii | ?? ? (@SatoshiIshii) January 26, 2014
Nice.
@mattgricemma Matt! I can’t tell you how good it is to hear from yo bro! Me and my girl have been trying to keep up as much as we can w/you
— Ricardo Lamas (@RicardoLamasMMA) January 28, 2014
The prospects.
I will be returning to the octagon March 15 at UFC 171!!!
— Jedi Master Tank (@TankScogginsMMA) January 28, 2014
#TUFChina finalist Wang Sai is getting ready for sparring. 6 weeks to go till his biggest fight yet. 😉 @AKAThailand pic.twitter.com/rWkfYUEKt1
— Mike Quick Swick (@officialswick) January 27, 2014
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Jan. 27 2014)
Steve Carl vs. Rousimar Palhares at WSOF 9
Marlon Moraes vs. Josh Rettinghouse at WSOF 9
Joe Ellenberger vs. Yancy Medeiros at UFC 172
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via heavyfl0w.
What The Bendo-Thomson Decision Taught Us (Postfight Reaction)
I’m totally baffled at the arguments that Henderson won the fight. People are describing this criteria that seems to be based on numbers and a revisionist idea of what constitutes “trying to finish a fight”, then tripping over their own logic when they try to actually break the fight down. KJ Gould, in his article, claimed that the 1st should have gone to Henderson because his standing arm triangle attempt was a more aggressive attempt to finish than Josh taking Ben down, getting a body triangle, and working from his back for the better part of three minutes. Since when is the most aggressive attempt to finish the be all/end all of who wins a round? How about who actually, you know, won the round? This is MMA; it’s about weighing the totality of what took place vs. the question of “did one thing that happened matter enough to win Fighter X the round?” In that case, the arm triangle? Come on. That’s just getting bogged down by the weight of your own BS if you ask me. Silly. Anyway, check this out, if you please.
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Check out the rest of the post here.
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