USADA has issued a statement on testing fighters scheduled for the UFC 249 card.
UFC 249 has undergone many twists and turns. From the location having to be changed to fights being replaced, and even a new main event. Through it all, UFC 249 is still on tap for April 18 live on pay-per-view exclusively through ESPN+ in the United States.
USADA Issues Statement On UFC 249 Testing
ESPN’s Marc Raimondi received the following statement from USADA director of communications, Adam Woullard.
“With all consideration to athlete safety and logistical challenges, we’re going to do everything in our power to conduct UFC event testing. Just like the referees in the Octagon, our doping control officers are an essential part of a fair fight.”
USADA has been the official anti-doping agency of the UFC since July 2015. These are unprecedented circumstances with the coronavirus pandemic. Many have wondered if USADA will even be able to play a role at all for the UFC events that run in the midst of this crisis.
UFC 249 is reportedly taking place inside the Tachi Palace Resort Casino in California. Because this event is being held on tribal land, UFC 249 is exempt from California’s stay-at-home order. In addition, this also means that the UFC will not have to adhere to the California State Athletic Commission.
Many questions have been left unanswered going into UFC 249. The protocol for the health of the fighters amid the COVID-19 outbreak is unknown. All anyone has to go on is Dana White claiming the UFC has the best doctors and that the fighters are “safer” fighting, somehow, than staying at home.
White says the UFC is in the process of securing a private island for international cards. The UFC boss claims that he has the venue being used for UFC 249 under wraps for two months. If things are still restricted with COVID-19, the UFC boss plans to keep running events on the island.
