Jon Jones Undergoes First VADA Drug Test Before UFC 232

Jon Jones has completed his first Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) drug test.

Jones was required to enlist in VADA as a condition of him being licensed by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) for his title fight versus Alexander Gustafsson at tonight’s UFC 232 from Inglewood, Calif.

The event was originally set to take place in Las Vegas. But it was switched at the last minute when some ‘atypical findings’ were found in Jones’ system. The adverse results reportedly dated back to last August and extended to early December

According to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, the CSAC reported that the controversial fighter was subject to his first VADA test, a urine test, last night:

According to the CSAC, Jon Jones was randomnly drug tested by VADA (Voluntarily Anti-Doping Association) last night for the first time since he enrolled. Urine test. CSAC told Jones he had to enroll in VADA, in addition to test from USADA and CSAC, to keep his license.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 29, 2018

A New Standard Of Testing

It’s good news that Jones is going through enhanced steps to prove he is clean. However, the timing of the VADA test is somewhat suspect in that even if he were to test positive, the results would not be back in time for it to affect his fight with Gustafsson. That could potentially cause another messy situation where he could conceivably win the title tonight and be stripped of it for an unprecedented third time.

Of course, that’s merely hypothetical at this point and Jones is clean on VADA’s board for right now. He’s also in the same position with USADA. They chose not to sanction him for multiple tests containing trace amounts of turinabol dating back to this summer.

But the shroud of controversy surrounding Jones will seemingly always follow him like a black cloud. He was re-licensed by the CSAC on December 11. However, even though his ‘atypical findings’ from the summer and even early December were known by USADA, they were curiously not conveyed to the CSAC before they made their decision. The commission did ask Jones to undergo VADA at that time, but he and his team ultimately refused.

They simply had no choice but to agree with the CSAC’s request in order for “Bones” to fight tonight. He’ll do so as the first UFC athlete to be tested by both USADA and VADA at the same time.

Will it make a difference?