NSAC Unanimously Approves TRT Ban For MMA Fighters, UFC Quickly Follows Suit
With the topic of testosterone-replacement therapy (TRT) one of the most hotly debated, overblown, and controversial topics in all of MMA, it appears that the therapy has been banned in the area it was focused on most.
Making a huge stride towards banning its highly controversial use in fighting, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) decided today to ban TRT for all MMA bouts within its state limits.
The state commission unanimously approved a motion to ban all therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) for use prior to bouts. All future applicants will be denied as well as all those who have been granted TUEs in the past.
The UFC rapidly followed suit today, as White told MMAFighting.com that the promotion would support the commission and ban all TUEs for TRT:
“We follow Nevada,” White said. “[I’m] pumped! Couldn’t wait for that garbage to go away.”
That obviously throws a big wrench in future middleweight title challenger Vitor Belfort, who has said that he “needs” TRT as his medicine, and that he would be applying for and most likely get a TUE to use TRT for his May 24 UFC 173 main event title fight against Chris Weidman. The NSAC was set to review their policy concerning TRT use prior to Belfort’s application for a TUE before UFC 173.
It looks like those plans are going to be changed quite drastically, however.
Belfort previously said he would stop using the therapy for a shot at Weidman’s belt anyway, so we’ll see how much of an effect this announcement has on “The Phenom’s” otherworldly speed and knockout power.
TRT fell under extreme fire after ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” reported that an unusually high number of MMA fighters applied for and were granted TUEs as compared to other sports.The report may have had something to do with today’s motion, but TRT was clearly becoming a black eye in the sport, and it’s good to see the NSAC take some decisive action.
Chairman Bill Brady summed up the moral dilemma present in making sure that fights were fair in Nevada, an aspect that ultimately lead to TRT being banned:
“I know in granting TUEs for TRT in the past, it caused me a great burden because there is always a person there fighting on the other side who isn’t asking for anything, who is going to be tested, who is going to be tested randomly, and is clean.
So I think we have an obligation to the fighter who doesn’t want an exemption and is clean; an obligation to them to make sure they’re getting an honest and fair fight. So if this takes away that judgment that I have never liked, that I’ve been uncomfortable when I’ve been involved in it, then I think this is an appropriate motion and one that I support.”
The NSAC also urged other state athletic commissions to follow their lead.
This is sure to ruffle some feathers. What are your thoughts on the commission’s shocking ban?
