UFC fighter surrenders $130,000 purse after positive drug test (1 Viewer)

[MSGulfCoastWhoDat]

Y! SPORTS

He didn't derive any competitive advantage from marijuana so why are they stripping him of his earnings? When is the inquisition against marijuana going to end for christ's sake?

 

[Dre]

I'm thinking it was not just marijuana.

 

[Twyst]

Even if it was just Marijuana, he knew he was going to be tested and I really don't feel sorry for him. I fully support the legalization of marijuana and definitely partook in my fair share of smoking it, but as soon as I got a great job where I knew I was going to be tested I quit, like any reasonable person would.

I wish it was legal, but it's not, so I really don't feel any sympathy for this guy nor did I for the honey badger. They knew they were going to be tested but did it anyway.

 

[MSGulfCoastWhoDat]

Even if it was just Marijuana, he knew he was going to be tested and I really don't feel sorry for him. I fully support the legalization of marijuana and definitely partook in my fair share of smoking it, but as soon as I got a great job where I knew I was going to be tested I quit, like any reasonable person would.

I wish it was legal, but it's not, so I really don't feel any sympathy for this guy nor did I for the honey badger. They knew they were going to be tested but did it anyway.

I still don't see why it should be fair to strip him of his earnings after the fact. If he tested positive before the fight I can see them not letting him compete but after he won and collected his money, that just doesn't sit well with me. He didn't gain any advantage, its not like it was testosterone or steriods.

 

[Anteros77]

Y! SPORTS

He didn't derive any competitive advantage from marijuana so why are they stripping him of his earnings? When is the inquisition against marijuana going to end for christ's sake?

I'm torn here. On the one hand he agreed to maintain a certain behavior and got caught breaking that agreement. I fully agree with the suspension, but I think taking the winnings for a non-performance enhancing drug is a bit much. Did they give the money to the other fighter or did UFC keep it? It honestly just seems like they used the excuse to take their money back.

I'm sure that legally they are in the right...but that doesn't make it right ethically.

 

[RussTKD]

He knew the rules when he agreed to the fight. He knew he'd be drug tested by the state's athletic commission.

No excuses.

 

[peglegpeet13]

He gets stripped of the money, Nate Diaz goes Nate Diaz on twitter and gets himself suspended.

Brian Caraway gets the sub bonus of $65,000 that Healy was awarded.

I tend to fall in the boat that, you have to know you are going to get tested.

 

[Charlie Brizzown]

You know if you smoke it, it might cost you $130k. If I smoke it before a drug test at a minimum wage job, I lose the job. Seems fair to me.

 

[RussTKD]

He gets stripped of the money, Nate Diaz goes Nate Diaz on twitter and gets himself suspended.

Brian Caraway gets the sub bonus of $65,000 that Healy was awarded.

I tend to fall in the boat that, you have to know you are going to get tested.

 

[Waymer]

To be clear, he's giving up his bonuses -- not his purse for fighting. He still got paid for the evening.

Also, as to Dre's contention about it being something else. It's handled by the commission -- so there's nothing the UFC can hide like they theoretically could if this was overseas or in Brazil.

As to MS's question/problem about stripping him after the fact, well that's what they payment was for -- after the fact. Remember, he's still getting his earnings for the fight. He's simply losing post-fight bonuses -- largely because the commission declared his fight a no-contest, thus technically he didn't win, didn't submit anyone, etc -- even though we all saw it.

I have no problem in this case. It sets a bad precedent if they don't strip fighters of these bonuses. There becomes a line that you step over otherwise. Sure, it's just pot in this case. But what if the next case is cocaine, or whatever. You begin to pick and choose what should or shouldn't be allowed if you're the UFC, rather than relying on the athletic commissions to do their jobs. Then you open up a can of worms.

 

[Waymer]

ABC (not the channel ) is considering WADA's new marijuana rules, which raised the threshold for a positive test 10-fold. Doing so would help eliminate positive tests for out of competition use, and attempt to penalize only for use in a period of time immediately before matches.

Such a move would make future discussions like this moot.

ABC Medical Committee to Discuss WADA

 

[Dre]

Wow. Interesting they view marijuana as a potential PED.

 

[Waymer]

Wow. Interesting they view marijuana as a potential PED.

To a very limited extent, I could say it could be. Again, very, very limited. No different than say alcohol though. Numb pain to very minor degrees, sure. Actual talent enhancer? Of course not.

I've got no problems with people getting high on their own time, but certainly day of competition use or thereabouts has to be outlawed, strictly for the fighter's own safety honestly. You don't want guys loaded on anything out there fighting. This is a step in the right direction.