Dan Ige Reacts To Bizarre Mistaken Blood Draws
This is perhaps one of the strangest stories to come out of the UFC’s partnership with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
And it doesn’t actually involve USADA.
Mistaken Identity
UFC featherweight fighter Dan Ige revealed on Twitter earlier today that someone came over to his house in the morning to take his blood for testing. However, he later found out that it wasn’t USADA who took the samples:
“So pissed off someone came over this morning I thought it was [USADA]. They took my blood and everything and come to find out these people went to the wrong house address and did not work for USADA WTF!!!!!
“I’m so mad, and sure of this is my fault… When someone rings your doorbell six times at 6:30 AM saying they’re here to take your blood I was just cooperating thinking it’s USADA now I probably have aids.”
USADA has been partnered with the UFC since 2015. During that time, fighters such as TJ Dillashaw, Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and many more have had issues with the agency. However, this is perhaps the most ridiculous story ever to come to light.
Fighters are used to having random samples taken at various times of the day, as USADA shows up for testing sporadically. Fighters such as UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier have expressed displeasure with the practice. However, the lack of communication in Ige’s case, in particular, is staggering.
Ige Details Experience
Speaking to MMA Fighting on the incident, Ige explained that he’s used to USADA showing up randomly to collect samples:
“I’m used to that,” Ige said. “They usually show up, take my urine or take my blood. So I’m just kind of going through with it.”
However, Ige grew suspicious once the woman in charge of collecting samples broke usual procedure, and did not require him to fill out paperwork:
“I was like, ‘Alright, are we gonna do some paperwork?’” Ige said. “Because normally USADA will come and do everything on the iPad. My declaration of whatever supplements I’m taking. She was like, ‘Oh, no paperwork. Everything is digital.’ I thought, maybe she’s new or something.”
Before she left, the woman asked Ige for his last name, and then his first. It was then that they realized something had gone horribly wrong:
“She was like, ‘You’re not John?’” Ige said. “John? No, I’m not John. She just took all my blood and at this point I’m like, ‘OK, get the f*ck out of my house. She took [my blood]. I didn’t even think like, hey at least give me my vials of blood. She took my blood. She had like a creepy little smile, she was joking. But she was so nice, to be honest.
“I didn’t want to curse her out or anything. I was like, ‘alright, you can leave now.’ It’s just so weird, what are the odds that they came to my house where I’m used to getting early wakeup calls with blood or urine tests?”
