UFC rescinds suspension of Cung Le
“UFC has determined that Cung Le’s elevated total HGH by itself does not prove that he took performance-enhancing drugs before the August 23rd bout.”
Mixed martial arts is regulated across North America, by State, Provincial, Tribal, and Municipal government bodies. Unfortunately, regulation internationally is spotty, and in a number of countries the UFC often is forced to self regulate. As an institution, the UFC is uniquely set up to regulate, as CEO Lorenzo Fertitta is a former Commissioner on the Nevada State Athletic Commission, VP of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner is a former Executive Director of the NSAC, and Chief Legal Officer Kirk Hendrick is former legal counsel for the NSAC.
The league is moving aggressively into PED testing, and at UFC Fight Night 48 in Macau the league self-regulated, and tested all the fighters. Cung Le tested positive for Human Growth Hormone (HGH), and was suspended for a year. However, doubts were raised over the testing process, and today the UFC made a dramatic announcement.
At UFC Fight Night Macao on August 23rd, UFC contracted with an independent drug testing laboratory in Hong Kong to perform urinalysis testing on all fighters on the card. Additionally, UFC requested the laboratory to test blood samples from 4 fighters for human growth hormone (HGH), erythropoietin (EPO) and testosterone.
One of the athletes who had his blood tested was Cung Le. The laboratory results from Le’s blood test were sent to the UFC and showed that his blood had a total HGH level outside the reference range. Based on such results, UFC officials determined that Le had violated his promotional agreement and the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy. Consequently, UFC decided that Le should be suspended from unarmed combat competition for 12 months.
Following the announcement of Le’s suspension, UFC officials have been provided with medical advice regarding the elevated total HGH present in Le’s system. In accordance with such medical advice, UFC has determined that Le’s elevated total HGH by itself does not prove that he took performance-enhancing drugs before the August 23rd bout. As a result, UFC has informed Le that his suspension is rescinded.
Le had requested an appeal of his suspension, and was entitled to arbitrate the drug test results and suspension. However, based on the lack of conclusive laboratory results, UFC officials deemed it appropriate to immediately rescind the suspension without the need for further proceedings.
The UFC organization has always been a leader when it comes to testing for performance-enhancing drugs in combat sports. All UFC athletes know they are subject to drug testing by an applicable state athletic commission, an international governing federation, or by an independent laboratory contracted by the UFC when no regulatory body is overseeing the event. In those cases where regulatory oversight is unavailable, UFC voluntarily chooses to adhere to the highest level of athlete health and safety protocols similar to if the event were being held in the state of Nevada.
Le can continue fighting, but his manager, Gary Ibarra, told MMAJunkie that the decision has not been made one way or the other.
He’s undecided, said Ibarra. We have to really sit back and assess the damage done and determine how we’ll go about repairing a reputation 20 years in the making that was destroyed overnight.
Ibarra said that retirement for the 42-year-old fighter is a possibility. The UFC’s decision came before Le went through an indepent arbitration process.
I’m glad they saved us the time and money of doing that and just admitted they made a mistake,” said Ibarra. “But I would hope that they would have apologized as loudly as they condemned him in the first place.
It’s just sad that Cung’s reputation was ruined in order to make sure (better testing) happens. Having someone’s career destroyed and chalking it up to growing pains or a learning process is not acceptable to me.