I know fans don't like to acknowledge it but the sport is still filled with PED users from top to bottom.
The sport will always be filled with PED users because those doping will always be ahead of of those administering the tests, this is just the reality of the situation in not only MMA but in all sports.
In cycling Lance Armstrong was vilified for his doping but at the end of the day many of the riders he competed against were busted themselves, admitted to using, or are suspected of doping.
Much of his major competition has been caught doping and just because someone ISN'T caught doesn't mean they're clean.
This is where the problem comes in. USADA may bust more notable steroid abusers and cause some to stop using, but this does not create a level playing field where all fighters are steroid free. Instead some fighters choose not to dope for fear that their past accomplishments will be tarnished if they're caught, while others continue to dope and gain an advantage, and will NEVER be caught.
There are no stats on fighters who were never caught who were abusing (there can't be unless fighters admit to using after the fact) yet we know these fighters exist. Sherdoggers openly question if the downfall of fighters like Johnny Hendricks and Chris Weidman, was because of USADA, yet there are those fighters who we have long suspected who still haven't been busted. This does NOT mean they are clean.
The irony is USADA does not create a level playing field it skews it in favor of the PED user even more so because they have to face less PED users.
I don't know what the right answer is for solving the PED issue but catching only a handful of the PED users while others continue to use is not the way to solve the problem.
The sport will always be filled with PED users because those doping will always be ahead of of those administering the tests, this is just the reality of the situation in not only MMA but in all sports.
In cycling Lance Armstrong was vilified for his doping but at the end of the day many of the riders he competed against were busted themselves, admitted to using, or are suspected of doping.
https://www.businessinsider.com/lance-armstrong-doping-tour-de-france-2015-1
Much of his major competition has been caught doping and just because someone ISN'T caught doesn't mean they're clean.
This is where the problem comes in. USADA may bust more notable steroid abusers and cause some to stop using, but this does not create a level playing field where all fighters are steroid free. Instead some fighters choose not to dope for fear that their past accomplishments will be tarnished if they're caught, while others continue to dope and gain an advantage, and will NEVER be caught.
There are no stats on fighters who were never caught who were abusing (there can't be unless fighters admit to using after the fact) yet we know these fighters exist. Sherdoggers openly question if the downfall of fighters like Johnny Hendricks and Chris Weidman, was because of USADA, yet there are those fighters who we have long suspected who still haven't been busted. This does NOT mean they are clean.
The irony is USADA does not create a level playing field it skews it in favor of the PED user even more so because they have to face less PED users.
I don't know what the right answer is for solving the PED issue but catching only a handful of the PED users while others continue to use is not the way to solve the problem.
