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[Cat--Smasher]

Diaz files challenge to NSAC suspension

Per a response filed to the Nevada State Athletic Commission on March 7, UFC welterweight Nick Diaz is challenging the commission's complaint for disciplinary action that he tested positive for a prohibited substance following a Feb. 4 contest in Las Vegas.

That suspension is unwarranted, according to Diaz's attorney, Ross Goodman, who states that "marijuana metabolites" are not a prohibited substance according to the list used by the NSAC, which is adopted from the World Anti-Doping Agency.

"Marijuana is the only substance that is prohibited; not marijuana metabolites," Goodman told ESPN.com.

"The basis to discipline Mr. Diaz is that he tested positive for a prohibited substance. We know he didn't test positive for marijuana. So, you look to see at WADA whether marijuana metabolites are prohibited. They do not prohibit it in any category."

According to Goodman, the substance Diaz tested positive for was THC-Carboxylic Acid, an inactive marijuana metabolite. NSAC executive director Keith Kizer was unavailable to comment on that claim Monday.

The response filed to the commission, therefore, challenges that Diaz merely tested positive for an inactive metabolite, which is not listed as a prohibited substance.

Diaz files challenge to NSAC suspension - MMA News

[Y2JUBAE]

Guess Nate was wrong.

[CtGreat]

Nick Diaz's Lawyer Issues Response to NSAC, States Law Proves Diaz Shouldn't Be Punished - MMA Fighting

Weeks after the Nevada State Athletic Commission announced that Diaz had tested positive for marijuana metabolites following his UFC 143 loss to Carlos Condit in February and was potentially subject to an undetermined punishment, Diaz's lawyer, Ross Goodman of the Las Vegas-based Goodman Law Group, has issued a strong response to the NSAC, which raises some serious questions regarding whether Diaz deserves to be punished at all.

In the response, which Goodman has shared with MMAFighting.com and can be found below, he explains that Diaz's medical marijuana use, which he states should be, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency, whose laws have been adopted by the NSAC, considered "out-of-competition" since it ended eight days before the fight, plus the fact that only marijuana metabolites were found in his system, are reasons why Diaz didn't break any of the NSAC's rules.

Goodman also states that the "presence of a marijuana metabolite is not a prohibited substance under NAC 487.850 and should not, therefore, serve as a basis for any disciplinary action."
According to Goodman, Diaz's hearing in Nevada could happen as soon as April, but no exact date has been finalized just yet. He hopes that this response will allow Diaz, who was suspended for six months and fined by the NSAC for testing positive for marijuana following his PRIDE 33 fight against Takanori Gomi February 2007, to walk away from the situation without any kind of punishment.

[end it with a left]

So he had an edible at some point than? Is that not considered illegal than?

[Sniggles]

Originally Posted by end it with a left

So he had an edible at some point than? Is that not considered illegal than?

No, a metabolite is something that has already been processed to a degree by your body. The actual THC gets broken down into many different compounds, also known as metabolites. Marijuana metabolites are what stays in your system for weeks, even a couple months afterwards. The actual substance Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) principal psychoactive compound that intoxicates the user to the point where the commissions have disallowed it for "fighter safety". Cannabinoids are what is being looked for, not metabolites.

[Cat--Smasher]

Looks to me like the poor guy is being punished for eating some hemp seeds or hemp oils... Come on now, cant blame a guy for trying to be healthy

Something like testing positive for opiates after eating a poppy seed bagel.

[maakshif]

his lawyer probably won't win that one...all drug tests test for metabolites of substances and if the presence of those metabolites triggers the test and are not within range, then there is a failure for the substance itself

he's trying to play semantics, but based on the way drug tests work, I don't think he has a good case

[macewen]

Nothing to win if he didn't break any rules. Didn't a snowboarder get his Olympic medal back for the same reason? Nick should be ok I would think if that's true...shit he didn't test positive for anything illegal

[FCK]

Originally Posted by macewen

Nothing to win if he didn't break any rules. Didn't a snowboarder get his Olympic medal back for the same reason? Nick should be ok I would think if that's true...shit he didn't test positive for anything illegal

True, but for the NSAC to swallow the pill of unbanning him due to this technicality would be ridiculous, as where he's been guilty of testing positive for cannabis before, you can't just shove all that aside and reassess him with a clean record.

He's also got everything to lose, as he already quit, and now he's trying to claw his way back into something he slammed the door on. Nick needs a lesson in damage control to save his pride and take his ban on the chin and come back after getting himself together.

[Y2JUBAE]

Amazing that a plant growing out of the earth has been deemed illegal by man. Ignorant ass men that is.