Yahoo Sports UFC Denies Cover-Up of ‘Sketchy' Vitor Belfort Drug Test
It’s been two weeks since Deadspin published the Josh Gross exposé about a “sketchy drug test that didn’t stop Vitor Belfort from fighting at UFC 152” in 2012, and the UFC has remained silent on the issue … until now.
The exposé pointed to unacceptably high levels of free testosterone in Belfort’s system, in a test conducted in Nevada, three weeks prior to his challenge of then-UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones in Toronto. The damning part of the article pointed to the UFC having had knowledge of said test result, the UFC having accidentally emailed the result out “to a group of 29 fighters, managers, and trainers,” and then trying to pull back on the email and keep the accidental recipients quiet about it.
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Belfort went on to fight Jones, nearly submitting him with an armbar in the first round. After the armbar failed, however, Belfort couldn’t find his way back into the fight, and Jones eventually submitted him via Americana in the fourth round.
The outcome isn’t the issue, though. The idea that the UFC knew Belfort had an elevated level of testosterone is the issue, even despite it being a period that is well known for the questionable practice of issuing therapeutic use exemptions for testosterone replacement therapy in athletes.
In addressing the Deadspin story on Saturday night, UFC Vice President of Public Relations Dave Sholler said little to deny the testing, the accidental email, or other details of Gross’ story, but did deny any sort of conspiracy theory.
“Any suggestion or inference that there was a cover-up regarding to that is just categorically false,” said Sholler. “That period of time with TRT was one that was very tricky for everyone; for the UFC, for athletic commissions, and for athletes alike. When everybody came to a conclusion that it didn’t have a place in this sport, as it was outlawed in 2014, we too were quick to follow suit.”
Not delving into the issue, Sholler went on to point to the positive steps the UFC has taken since then to address performance-enhancing drug use in its ranks.
“As you look at it today, we have signed on with one of the greatest and most stringent anti-doping policies in the world through USADA. So our position on doping in this sport is the same. We have no place for it in our spot and we’re going to, through Jeff Novitsky and the USADA folks, continue to be aggressive to make sure that performance-enhancing drugs have no place in the UFC.”
Though the exposé has yet to foster any sort of concrete outcome, it shines a white-hot spotlight on the reason that the UFC has to continue to seek regulation and drug testing outside of its own Octagon walls. Situations such as the one with Belfort are ripe for exploitation for the betterment of business, while neglecting concern for the athletes and the fairness of sport.
