Cody McKenzie suspended following refusal to test in Italy

In a big step forward for MMA in Italy, Venator FC co-founder and matchmaker Alex Dandi has announced that anti-doping tests were carried out for Venator Kingdom I on October 14, 2017. Further, suspensions have been handed out to Francesco Bocca of Italy, Eulogio Fernandez of Spain, Gheorghe Gritko of Moldova, and UFC vet Cody McKenzie of the USA.

Dandi posted the news on his social network, via Google Translate.

You write history with facts and not words. No doping in MMA, no ifs and buts.

This is what we did and we are doing with Venator Fighting Championship who now has more restrictive and effective anti-doping tests out of UFC in the mixed martial arts world.

Thanks to the important collaboration with FIGMMA-Federazione Italiana Grappling Mixed Martial Arts and NODA (National Anti-doping organization, functional derivation of the world anti-doping agency better NODA as WADA) with the approval of the cones we have for the first time in the history of Italian MMA tests Anti-doping is ” in competion ” (i.e. just before or shortly after the match) and “out of competion” (surprise at any time of the year).

Just yesterday, the first “out of competion” exams took place.

Following this collaboration, after the event C Kingdom 1 was suspended by NODA the amateur athlete Francesco Mouth (Diuretic) and Cody Mckenzie (for refusing tests).

In addition, Gritko and Eulogio Fernandez are suspended indefinitely by and Eulogio Fernandez for positive detected that have now been reported to the relevant federations of the country of residence (Moldova and Spain respectively).

Of course, all tests are also confirmed for the athletes of Venator Kingdom 2 on December 16th.

Now the question I ask is:

– when all Italian promotion, but also foreign, working on Italian territory, will follow the example of venator by protecting the health of athletes and fighting a battle against doping?

In this case, the tiny little venator alongside figmma and nado, is once again school, showing that a battle can be fought and can be won. Just want it. The hope is that many will join us in this battle. It will be a great pleasure for me to help all the promoters who want to be by our side.

Thanks for the attention and long life to clean sport!

The news was confirmed by FIGMMA, also via Google Translate.

Anti-doping: suspended Cody Mckenzie and Francesco Bocca

On the occasion of the anti-doping controls requested by FIGMMA, arranged by the National Anti-Doping Organization (Nado Italy) and performed by the Italian Sports Medical Federation of CONI at the end of the Venator Kingdom 1 event of amateur MMA and Pro held on October 14, 2017 at Milan, the American athlete Cody Mckenzie has refused to undergo the anti-doping control and the athlete Francesco Bocca of the sports club “MMa BJJ Biella”, to the analysis carried out in the anti-doping laboratory of the Italian Sports Medical Federation was positive.

The Federal Commission of Appeal of the FIGMMA has therefore ordered the immediate indefinite suspension of the athletes Cody Mckenzie and Francesco Bocca from any federal sporting activity.

All members are reminded that the use of prohibited substances in order to alter competitive performance or to mask the results of controls in sporting competitions, is not only a criminal offense.

Venator should be commended for taking this important step, without government prompting. It bodes well for the future of MMA in Italy.

However, McKenzie offered a contrary perspective on his social network.

“Look at this bulls*** this show is a joke,” he wrote. “My first fight for them there was no mat under the canvas, so when I landed on it I completely destroyed my shoulder now I still can’t do pull-ups. My last fight for them I didn’t piss because my head was way split open with a good 5-inch gash down to the skull, and this show didn’t even have anyone to stitch me up. Yet I’m the one who gets suspended Venator get your s*** together. They also took a month to pay me.”

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H/T Gregorio Luciani MMA Today