UFC PED policy can suspend fighters bc of what teammates do

[Darkart]

Along with the "you are obligated to tell us where you are" this is a clear sign of overreaching.

New intro to TUF:

Do you want to be a fucking fighter? Yeah!
Ok, whenever you go to take a shit or piss please call this phone number to get pre-authorized in case an official is enroute to take your biometrics, we can't have you without stool or urine, Aldo already burned us on that one... Wtf?

 

[Toad Frogan]

Why should he be suspended from training or help others train? It's not like he is doing what he was suspended for (prize fighting). He didn't do anything wrong to the gym and it can be a source of income at a time he can't fight professionally.

They are clearly overreaching.

In NFL/MLB, the teams are part of the organization structure. So it kinda makes sense that they are suspended from the whole thing. But the gyms are completely independent from the UFC. Hell, the fighters are legally considered independent contractors, so their other "employer" have nothing to do with the suspension.

Well said.

 

[skombolis]

These are independent contractors and the gyms are not owned by teams that are part of a league. The UFC should have no purview over what goes on at a gym or what a suspended fighter does so long as it is not a UFC facility or event.

What if a suspended fighter is a main training partner of another UFC fighter? Why does the clean fighter have to give up his training partner at a gym the UFC has nothing to do with?

This is clear overreach.They want to ban suspended fighters from anything UFC related that's fine; expected even. They should have no authority to control who trains with who at independent gyms.

 

[skombolis]

if it sucks so bad they should form an union

If you are such a shitty fan you should stop watching. Definitely stop posting at least.

A union doesn't work when the guys that need it the most couldn't even afford union dues or whose entire UFC career may consist of one fight. Or when you have no protection from being on a team with an owner who has final day over your employment not a league exec (unless the commission suspends someone) who can release anybody at any time for any reason.

Please explain how:

1) a fighters union can protect a job

2) What power it would have to force the UFC to do anything it doesn't want to.

A union says we don't like the Reebox deal. The UFC says they don't care. Now what? How long can 90% of the fighters survive without fights? You have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[Joe]

If you are such a shitty fan you should stop watching. Definitely stop posting at least.

A union doesn't work when the guys that need it the most couldn't even afford union dues or whose entire UFC career may consist of one fight. Or when you have no protection from being on a team with an owner who has final day over your employment not a league exec (unless the commission suspends someone) who can release anybody at any time for any reason.

Please explain how:

1) a fighters union can protect a job

2) What power it would have to force the UFC to do anything it doesn't want to.

A union says we don't like the Reebox deal. The UFC says they don't care. Now what? How long can 90% of the fighters survive without fights? You have no idea what you are talking about.

oh really? did you know in other sports leagues players make money off tv deals, sponsorships, and other sources the team and league make. you know how much fighters see of that? 0. all of those things are negotiated by unions. or maybe the ufc doesnt make enough money?

 

[Darwinambrosius]

Drug testing gives the advantage to those willing to take the risk of getting caught. If everybody had the option to use PEDs without penalty, it'd be a level playing field. All this drug testing nonsense is pandering for mainstream acceptance rather than any logical attempt to better the sport.

 

[skombolis]

oh really? did you know in other sports leagues players make money off tv deals, sponsorships, and other sources the team and league make. you know how much fighters see of that? 0. all of those things are negotiated by unions. or maybe the ufc doesnt make enough money?

The fighters have no leverage. Compare league minimum in other pro sports to mma. Then factor in it isn't a league but a company. And then finally they can release you any time they want for any reason whereas leagues can't just indiscriminately kick people out.

But just walk me through what happens when the fighters union days they don't like something and the UFC says 'tough shit'? Blue collar unions are 100 thousand members strong and get paid weekly. How long are the guys making 6k to 30k every 4 to 6 months gonna last with no work or even worse if they are the waive of fighters they let go in retaliation?

And you think the superstars are going to flush away millions? They are independent contractors whose main concern is their future and their families. They already paid their dues figuratively coming up and may feel for other fighters but at the end of the day are not in the same boat.

For a union to work you need numbers, similar goals, the ability to survive a strike, and some type of job protection either built-in or from being more costly to replace or to the company during your absense. Fighters have basically none of that and the very few with leverage will be looked after.

Although I apologize if I took your post wrong. So many take the attitude that if the fighters don't like getting screwed get a different job or do something and quit whining. You may not have meant it like that at all and were just making a suggestion. If so, again I apologize

 

[MichaelCoughlin]

At the very least, a union might have read these rules over first. These are so broad that they could be applied to almost anyone. Have a masseuse help you loosen up for a fight, is that an individual preparing you? Do you need to know if your massage therapist is drug free now?

And yes, it's unlikely but we've seen guys get treated differently just bc they're liked personally.

 

[Ollie_Williams]

Maybe I am missing something, but it seems like this is now apples and oranges. A fighter won't get in trouble for painting a house with a suspended fighter or for going fishing with him. He will get suspended for training with him.

Also, the regulator's office would stop any interaction in the example you gave. It's called prison. PEDs are not a mistake. A mistake is taking home a few K-Cups from the break room. Taking PEDs is intentionally cheating, with the purpose of causing more bodily harm to another human. If they gave everyone who popped for roids a lifetime ban, I would support that.

 

[K1HerosNakamura]

Mistake in this context is a euphemism for breaking the rules.

I bet an accountant who makes the "mistake" of embezzlement never gets hired again as an accountant.

Great post, but taking PEDs isnt exactly like stealing/embezzlement because it can actually make your employer more money. Your opponents are the true victims. It's more like playing cutthroat unethical office politics than anything. Unless of course the PED test harms the bottom line, either through cancelation of a big fight or loss of appeal to 'mainstream' sponsors.

 

[MichaelCoughlin]

People should also acknowledge how flawed the testing is. How does Diaz pass 2/3 pot tests from samples given within five hours of each other? Silva passed 1/3 during the same month for PEDs. THESE are the tests that could end a career.

 

[jeremyemilio]

Basically bc in MMA you NEED a partner to stay sharp and in shape. And two years without a real team to train with is a looooong time. To out in perspective. The average MLB career is 900 games. (5 years or so) football is 60 or so (3.5 years). The VERY BEST in the UFC maybe are at ten. That's Mir. GSP. Silva. Etc... 2 years is 20%. That's the equivalent of a football player missing two seasons. A baseball player missing 1.5.

And for ONE mistake. There's being tough on guys and then there's basically taking them out of things forever.

And. Of course. You could lose two years bc a TEAMMATES failed a test and you kept training with him.

Who ever took PED's by mistake?

Name one.

 

[jeremyemilio]

If you are such a shitty fan you should stop watching. Definitely stop posting at least.

A union doesn't work when the guys that need it the most couldn't even afford union dues or whose entire UFC career may consist of one fight. Or when you have no protection from being on a team with an owner who has final day over your employment not a league exec (unless the commission suspends someone) who can release anybody at any time for any reason.

Please explain how:

1) a fighters union can protect a job

2) What power it would have to force the UFC to do anything it doesn't want to.

A union says we don't like the Reebox deal. The UFC says they don't care. Now what? How long can 90% of the fighters survive without fights? You have no idea what you are talking about.

I feel you don't understand how unions work...

 

[MichaelCoughlin]

Who ever took PED's by mistake?

Name one.

You can make a mistake and not have it be an accident. People do stupid things all the time. The world operates on the premise that we can learn and change and grow.

 

[FrontNakedChoke]

That doesn't make sense. Why would they do that?

 

[PivotPunch]

This is retarded and I don't see how it#s useful in any way. It basically ends the careers of even first time offenders if they can't train with any UFC fighters for 2 years and it hurts fighters who didn't test positive but can't train with guys who did test positive.

 

[MichaelCoughlin]

As an update: one fighter I have never spoken to before emailed me out of the blue. He said "this is bullshit. No one told me and no one told my team. I feel like I have to talk to someone about this."

So. If a guy randomly gets released and it makes no sense ...