Nick Diaz free to return to fighting this month

There was a significant performance-enhancing drug problem in the UFC, and USADA fixed it. Unfortunately, they also fixed problems that didn’t exist. BJ Penn took an IV, Diego Brandao smoked marijuana, Jon Jones took a bootleg erectile dysfunction tablet tainted with a non-PED, multiple fighters took Meldonium, and multiple fighters ate meat that was tainted with traces of Clenbuterol.

All UFC fighters have to let USADA know their whereabouts at all times. Nick Diaz marches to the beat of his own drummer; there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s a laudable, American trait. But Diaz was provisionally suspended in June of 2017 for in April violating the whereabouts policy three times in a rolling twelve months. That’s not taking PEDs, it’s running afoul of an invasive if useful step to catch people taking PEDs.

Diaz was the first UFC fighter to be subject to sanction over whereabouts. Now USADA has announced that the fighter will be suspended for a year retroactive to the date of the third whereabouts failure.

Via UFC.com.

USADA announced today that Nick Diaz, of Stockton, Calif., has accepted a one-year sanction for a violation of the UFC® Anti-Doping Policy resulting from three unsuccessful test attempts during a 12-month period.

Like all UFC athletes, Diaz, 34, is a member of the UFC Registered Testing Pool and is therefore subject to certain Whereabouts responsibilities, which allow him to be located for out-of-competition testing. Diaz failed to be available for three tests at the locations provided in his Whereabouts Filings. The first two failures occurred in the second and third quarters of 2016, while the third occurred in the first quarter of 2017. Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, the accumulation of three Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period constitutes an anti-doping policy violation.

Diaz’s one-year period of ineligibility began on April 19, 2017, the date on which his third Whereabouts Failure was declared against him. During his period of ineligibility, Diaz remained subject to no-advance-notice testing by USADA and did not accumulate any additional Whereabouts Failures. As such, Diaz will be eligible to return to competition upon the completion of his sanction on April 19, 2018.

To remain compliant with the UFC Whereabouts Policy, athletes must complete and submit quarterly Whereabouts Filings, and promptly update USADA regarding any changes in their Whereabouts information. Accurate Whereabouts information is a crucial component of effective out-of-competition testing programs because it enables anti-doping organizations to conduct no-notice sample collections, which helps maintain effective doping deterrence, as well as detect doping.

In an effort to help athletes understand and fulfill their Whereabouts requirements, USADA conducts in-person and online educational sessions with athletes, sends email reminders about filing dates and obligations, maintains online and app-based filing and updating platforms, and gives athletes the option to receive daily and weekly reminders of their provided Whereabouts information.

Next step is the UFC offer Nick a fight and the money worthy of his stature among the hardcore MMA fanbase, which is for many without equal.