Jeff Novitzky explains how fighters are educated on importance of third party tested supplements..

[dim_]

Jeff Notitzky has put out a series of tweets about the whole subject of supplements and specifically third party tested supplements...

Pretty strong words from Jeff. Making it very clear that the fighters have been repeatedly told to buy certified supplements and they continue to ignore the advice.. He actually hangs the fighters out to dry a little bit here..

also shows why they still get suspensions, because despite all the warnings they continue to ignore them which means they have to bear some "fault".

When people complain that fighters are getting suspended for contaminated supplements, this is why. They are advised to only use supplements that have been tested by either informed-choice, nsf or similar, and they keep ignoring the advice.. this is why they get hit for suspensions, because hthey are deemed to be partly at "fault"


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A lot of questions recently about what tools/resources/education provided to UFC athletes and support about dangers of dietary supplements and why an athlete who's positive test was traced to a contaminated or spiked supplement still may receive a sanction (albeit a reduced one). In the 3+ year history of the UFC/USADA program, there has not been a single UFC athlete who's positive test resulted from the use of a 3rd party tested and certified supplement. There are 100's of 3rd party certified suucation we provide to UFC athletes and support as it relates to making safe supplement choices....

 

[Rvd Slmr]

Somehow people will still complain that it's USADA's fault if their tests can't immediately identify when a positive result is caused by a tainted supplement...

 

[accolyte1022]

Somehow people will still complain that it's USADA's fault if their tests can't immediately identify when a positive result is caused by a tainted supplement...

It's not their fault.




































It's those tainted dick pills.

 

[Dozer .]

Fuck USADA

 

[wilKO]

Then why allow supplements that aren't regulated? Seems like a pretty simple solution. Or maybe just acknowledge everyone uses PEDs and will blame their failed test on a known shady product.

 

[egk]

The whole reason these fighters take 3rd party supplements is so they can have a ready excuse if they're caught. They're simply hedging their bets. They're hoping it will mitigate the length of suspension they receive while they still claim they never knowingly took anything. USADA isn't catching all the dopers by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[dim_]

Then why allow supplements that aren't regulated? Seems like a pretty simple solution. Or maybe just acknowledge everyone uses PEDs and will blame their failed test on a known shady product.

thing is, USADA's official approach is not to use supplements at all. That if you have a balanced healthy diet etc you dont need them.

UFC's approach (well the approach of the performance team headed by Jeff) is, we appreciate you need to use supplements, things like pre and post workout, extra protien etc, so reduce your risk by only using 3rd party tested ones.


USADA's approach is gradually changing.. they are starting to move from "dont use supplements" to "you dont need to use supplements but if you do"

 

[Matthew Fedler]

The UFC should look into getting a sponsorship deal with one of the approved supplement companies and provide athletes with free/discounted products.

 

[egk]

The UFC should look into getting a sponsorship deal with one of the approved supplement companies and provide athletes with free/discounted products.

It wouldn't even need to be just one. They could get multiple supplement companies on board and give them an "approved by the UFC" label.

The thing is, supplement makers have been known to put real PEDs in their products to make them actually do something. If they do something more than a rival's product, it's going to sell better.

 

[dim_]

The UFC should look into getting a sponsorship deal with one of the approved supplement companies and provide athletes with free/discounted products.

all the supplements at the performance institute are third party tested and certified

the supplier is "performance inspired" which was funded by WME/IMG

 

[TrevorLahey]

'Each time a UFC athlete is tested out of competition, they are asked to declare all supplement and medication use. USADA drug reference team reviews all declaration and sends out warning letters on high risk products and red flags associated with certain products.'

So basically all fighters are notified if they're taking high risk products... So if someone continues to take high risk products and fails a drug test how is that person not to blame? This seems like a pretty easy system to follow, if you get warned and still fail a drug test you should be punished for knowingly taking a high risk supplement. I suppose the only problem with this is when a fighter doesn't declare a supplement they're taking and then blames something they are using for a failed test. I think if you're warned about taking a high risk supplement and then you fail a test you should have the book thrown at you for knowingly taking high risk supplements. I wouldn't be surprised if people use high risk supplements to mask their steroid use. Just don't declare your steroids and declare a high risk supplement then when they fail they blame the supplement for being tainted and not the steroids they've been using undeclared.

 

[Rvd Slmr]

So if someone continues to take high risk products and fails a drug test how is that person not to blame?

They do get blamed. Despite having found a tainted supplement, Anderson Silva is still suspended for instance.

 

[acannxr]

There are only two reasons I can think a fighter would use a high risk supplement: sponsorship and/or having a built-in excuse in case they fail a drug test.

@dimspace - Very informative post, thanks for the read!

 

[2004 account]

Usada and the ufc are about as corrupt as fifa.

 

[Rvd Slmr]

Usada and the ufc are about as corrupt as fifa.

I really hope Jones gets four years just so people will stop about those baseless accusations.

 

[neandertal]

Oh damn thats a lot... didn't think they did that much.

 

[2004 account]

I really hope Jones gets four years just so people will stop about those baseless accusations.

Me too but let’s be realistic, he won’t. Also government and law makers/enforcers get caught taking bribes all the time so giving the benefit of the doubt to these entities when they have so many interests and much is at stake is pretty hard to do.

 

[Myrddin Wild]

It really does make sense that people still get a suspension even if it's a tainted supplement because that could easily be manipulated.

If you got a mill to spend, I'm sure some low end supplement company will bite & give you a special batch. or even if an athlete knows that a certain supplement contains banned substances... he could purposefully use them for their benefit. So people must recieve a suspension whether it's a tainted supplement or not.

 

[dim_]

Oh damn thats a lot... didn't think they did that much.

yeh, there were a few things i didnt realised they did.. even following up with tuf and dwcs fighters.

when you see it all written down, its kinda hard to make excuses for someone who still goes out and take's Dr Shredded's Marvellous Testosterone Booster

Also rare to see Jeff basically calling out the fighters.. comes across that hes quite frustrated that some arent getting the message...

That said.. positive tests in the first half of 2018 is 1/2 of what it was in 2016

January - June 2016 : 12 positives
January - June 2017 - 7 positives
January - June 2018 : 5 positives

 

[vengeful]

GTFOH with this bullsh*t Jeff. You know very well that fighters intentionally take PEDs and blame it on tainted supplements/drugs when they get caught.

In fact they carefully plan this out from the very beginning:

1. They decide what they want to cheat with.

2. They go and find the supplement that contains that PED but doesn't list it on their ingredients

3. They write down that supplement on their form weeks before the fight

4. Take the correct amount of the PED, so that the amount they test for matches the amount they would have taken through the supplement minus the half life of the compound.

5. Then hope and pray that the other store bought supplies that USADA then tests against also contain the non-listed supplement.

This is the most retarded thing I've read on sherdog. Why take a PED that matches the amount in the supplement instead of just taking the supplement?

Stop using the term "half life" you like most of sherdog have absolutely no idea what the term actually means.