UFC drug czar calls Texas handling of PED test ‘sickening’
Jeff Novitzky: “She didn’t cheat. A T:E ratio, in and of itself — especially mildly high — is never grounds for a public announcement of a positive test.”
UFC women’s strawweight Cortney Casey put on an impressive winning performance vs. Jessica Aguilar at UFC 211: Miocic vs. dos Santos 2 on May 13, in Dallas, Texas. UFC fighters are subject to anti-doping testing from the league, administered independently by the US Anti-Doping Agency. And they are also regularly tested around fight time by the commission regulating the fight.
In this case, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) administered a test and it was flagged for an elevated testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio. Anything over 4:1 is flagged in Texas, and Casey’s was 5.4:1. WADA also uses the 4:1 ratio, but as a trigger for a more specialized isotope-ratio mass spectrometry test, rather than a cause of sanction in and of itself.
The commission changed Casey’s the win to a No Contest, and suspended her for 90 days.
However, UFC vice president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky today told Marc Raimondi for MMA Fighting that the UFC and the TDLR got the results from Casey’s ‘B’ sample this week and they are negative for banned substances in isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) testing.
In other words, Casey was free of prohibited substances. Unfortunately, the TDLR sanctions have yet to be lifted. An elevated testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio does not necessarily mean the fighter was taking a prohibited substance; it’s simply a ratio and on its own doesn’t even indicate high testosterone – the cause could be low epitestosterone. What it means is that further testing is necessary. That has been done and Casey is clean.
In the meantime, the false positive was released to the public under an open records request, and the TDLR punished Casey prematurely and as it turns out incorrectly. Casey’s odd ratio had in fact been spotted earlier by USADA and appropriate follow-up testing like IRMS and carbon isotope ratio (CIR) screening proved that she was clean.
In a further bizarre twist, the TDLR made Casey pay for the additional IRMS testing, which cost $469. The UFC picked up that bill.
Her slightly elevated T:E ratio was just a product of her natural physiology and not anything she did wrong, said Novitzky said. She didn’t cheat. A T:E ratio, in and of itself — especially mildly high — is never grounds for a public announcement of a positive test.
I believe it’s sickening how Cortney has been treated by the Texas commission throughout this. From my experience, the worst thing you can do in anti-doping is a public announcement of a false positive test and that’s what Texas did to her.
The only good thing that I can say to come out of this is it’s a good example of what USADA and what I can do in my position to ensure athletes get their proper due process when it comes to athletic commission drug testing. … There’s been some criticism and I think we’ve educated people on it, but there’s been criticism from media and commissions on why USADA takes so long to come back with results. I think this is a glaring example of why. When USADA announces something publicly, they’re 100 percent sure. They’ve dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s.
TDLR spokesperson Susan Stanford told Raimondi that she could not comment on whether the state had reviewed or received the ‘B’ sample as the investigation remained open.
The TDLR apparently did a Ready Fire Aim. While a provisional suspension is appropriate in the case of a test being flagged, overturning the bout is not. Texas has yet to issue and apology or reverse their decision to change the bout to a NC. And even if they do, Casey’s reputation suffers.
Even now with the result in my favor, people will just say I found a loophole, said Casey. I will always be considered a cheater in some people’s eyes. If you look at the science, there is no loophole to it. It sucks. It just sucks.
Stanford said the TDLR welcomes input from the public and from stakeholders.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) consistently reviews all Combative Sports program rules, including those related to anti-doping, she said. During the last review of the rules TDLR received a single public comment related to drug testing procedures. That comment sought to include all prohibited drugs in the standard testing panel.
The Department welcomes additional comments about anti-doping and other concerns from the public and industry affecting the combative sports program.
It would behoove the TDLR to review the rules around anti-doping at their earliest convenience, drawing on input from Novitzky, who has unparalleled experience and expertise in this regard. They also, somehow, need to get Cortney Casey’s reputation back. That may be a taller order.