In the wake of diverse definite athlete drug assessments, PFL has officially partnered with USADA, the same anti-doping organization utilized by the UFC.
In a memo sent Tuesday by PFL president of fighter operations Ray Sefo to opponents and groups, the promotion announced its on the spot installment of the partnership and detailed what that precisely plot. Combatants who’re enticing within the upcoming playoffs are now required to partake in academic introduction classes later this week.
Per a doc hooked as much as the e-mail, the PFL and UFC drug-making an are trying out protocols utilized by USADA “shall be very the same, with minor distinctions to epic for the PFL’s sport season format.” It is unclear precisely what these distinctions are today.
Additonally, whereabouts failures might well also no longer be put in to begin, despite the incontrovertible fact that the doc indicates that can at final alternate.
MMA Junkie received and verified the e-mail with a pair of of us that got it, however requested to dwell nameless because the promotion has no longer but spoken publicly on the topic. USADA confirmed the partnership on a unique informational page on their official internet put. ESPN first reported the suggestions.
Learn below the e-mail message sent to opponents:
“PFL Combatants,
We’re proud to deliver that right this moment we are formally launching the PFL Anti-Doping Program in partnership with the US Anti-Doping Company (USADA).
USADA conducts twelve months-round, self sustaining anti-doping purposes for all Olympic, Paralympic, and UFC athletes, and will now attain so for PFL athletes as effectively.
This program is fragment of the PFL’s dedication as a fighter first organization to supporting a protected, level playing enviornment and advancing the perfect phases of competitors and the integrity of the sport.
This plot will starting up at once with preliminary academic classes being scheduled with USADA this week for contributors within the upcoming Playoffs. Educational classes to level this technique shall be scheduled with diverse opponents thereafter. It is strongly instructed that each and every fighter possess their coach, manager, or diverse key give a boost to person be half of the instructional classes.
The PFL Fighter Ops Group will dispute up rapidly with more particulars.
In the meantime, more information about this technique is on hand within the hooked up FAQs and at http://PFL.USADA.org.
Ray Sefo
President of Fighter Operations”
The partnership with USADA comes after a 2023 traditional season filled with drug take a look at failures and, at a Nevada Athletic Price (NAC) hearing, is one PFL indicated would soon plot.
Despite the incontrovertible fact that it does no longer appear athletic commissions changed their self sustaining drug making an are trying out procedures, 10 opponents tested definite over the span of the promotion’s first three traditional season events in Las Vegas.
Among the positives were 2022 light heavyweight champion Rob Wilkinson, 2021 heavyweight champion Bruno Cappelozza, former UFC title challenger and Thiago Santos.
The general opponents who tested definite were suspended, fined, and folks that won had their victories overturned. The outcomes of the drug assessments from the PFL’s 2d grouping of traditional season events, which took space in Atlanta in June, possess no longer but been publicized.