The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is currently piloting a new oral fluid testing program for UFC stars.
The new testing program was implemented on December 11, 2019, in an effort to only detect in-competition use of prohibited substances within hours of use. UFC senior vice president of health and performance, Jeff Novitzky, offered the following comments on the new program via his Twitter page.
“UFC program has started piloting a new collection method (oral fluid). Biggest upside…it potentially will only detect use of in-comp prohibited only substances (like marijuana/thc) within hours of use…not what athlete did a week or month ago.”
Novitzky also suggested that the new testing program could eventually lead to the removal of cannabis from the UFC’s in-competition prohibited substance list.
“In theory, that’s what this new testing method does. Gives an objective measurement of impairment. If it shows up in oral fluid, it was used in close proximity, and athlete is likely impaired.”
USADA released the following statement on the matter on December 12, 2019.
“Dedicated to innovation in anti-doping, USADA is introducing oral fluid testing, a pain-free, non-invasive collection experience that is being piloted both in and out-of-competition in the UFC Anti-Doping Program. This testing method is safe, reliable, and can be administered anywhere.
“Collecting samples through the pilot program is critical to validating the sample collection process and analytical methods, as well as securing athlete feedback. World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratories and other global anti-doping partners will also play an integral role in evaluating and adopting these revolutionary new technologies for programs and athletes worldwide.
“Starting on December 11, 2019, all UFC athletes, regardless of location, are subject to oral fluid testing.”
Paired with the statement was a FAQ list, explaining what oral fluid testing is, its benefits and detriments, as well as how it differs from other testing methods.
“To summarize: oral fluid testing is the collection of saliva. USADA personnel will collect a ~ 1mL sample with an oral fluid collection device over the span of 3.5 minutes. Fighters are not allowed to eat or drink in the 10 minutes leading up to collection. When a sufficient amount fluid has been collected, an indicator on the tube will change color.
“From there, anonymous samples will be analyzed at an “independent WADA-accredited laboratory.” Only A-samples will be collected during the pilot – no B samples.
“To gauge the effectiveness of the program, other sample collection methods will be run simultaneously alongside oral fluid testing (urine, blood, etc.). Fluid samples will not be reported during the pilot.”
USADA has stated that there are currently no known negative side effects of oral fluid testing, however, it did name three interesting benefits.
- 1) “A pain-free and non-invasive collection experience for athletes.”
- 2) “Eliminates the need for gender-specific collection personnel.”
- 3) “Samples can be easily and quickly collected in a wide range of environments.”
There is currently no timeframe on how long the pilot will run for.
What do you think about USADA piloting the new oral fluid testing program?
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