Iole: Did the NSAC fail to make a stand against PED use in MMA?
To make a statement that ridding combat sports of performance-enhancing drugs is vital to the safety of those who compete…
To make a statement that ridding combat sports of performance-enhancing drugs is vital to the safety of those who compete without cheating, Nevada governor Brian Sandoval ought to fire the five members of the state’s athletic commission.
That would send a message that Nevada officials are serious about cleaning up the problem, ensuring the safety of fighters and ridding the sport of illicit PEDs.
Sadly, though, the commission squandered that opportunity and opened the door for UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem to potentially fight in Las Vegas on Dec. 29 at a mega-money event that will fill state coffers but won’t do anything to make the sport safer. Don’t expect Sandoval to take any action, either. The commission may have only been being nice when it suggested Overeem may be able to fight Dec. 29, but the message it sent is clear: We’re not looking to lay down the hammer on those who cheat.
The commission, described by butt-smooching promoters and managers as being “the greatest commission in the world,” utterly failed to make a decision Tuesday that would have conveyed it takes the issue seriously.
