Tag: George Piro

New UFC anti-doping policy details annouced, program to begin Dec. 31

The UFC is beginning a new athlete anti-doping policy in 2024, and has announced details about the program.

The UFC has announced details of its new anti-doping program that will officially begin Dec. 31.

After a partnership with U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) that began in 2015 soured, the promotion decided to cut ties and begin a new UFC anti-doping policy (UFC ADP).

According to a statement released Thursday by the promotion, sample collection will be conducted by Drug Free Sport International, with administration and sanctioning to be overseen independently by Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD), headed by president George Piro.

“UFC’s goal for the Anti-Doping Policy is to be the best, most effective, and most progressive anti-doping program in all of professional sports,” UFC chief business offer Hunter Campbell said in the statement. “UFC is proud of the advancements we have made with our anti-doping program over the past eight years, and we will continue to maintain an independently administered drug-testing program that ensures all UFC athletes are competing under fair and equal circumstances. With this new iteration of the program, UFC has once again raised the bar for health and safety in combat sports.”

UFC senior vice president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky was also quoted:

“This latest UFC Anti-Doping Program is the result of our continued efforts to protect the athletes who compete in the Octagon. This new program is the result of years of input and trial and error taken by UFC, our athletes, and third parties who have assisted UFC in operating the program. The anti-doping policy is a living and breathing document that will continue to evolve and adapt when clear science supports changes that can further protect UFC athletes who compete in UFC.”

MMA Junkie obtained an email Campbell sent to the UFC roster, detailing expectations for whereabouts filing and testing, which can be read below along with more details released in the public statement about the new UFC ADP.

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Who is George Piro, the man in charge of the new UFC anti-doping program?

Find out more about George Piro, a former FBI agent who is the new independent administrator of the UFC’s anti-doping program.

The UFC has announced a new partnership to continue its anti-doping program after ending an eight-year association with U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), and the hiring of a new key figure.

Beginning in January 2024, Drug Free Sport International will run the Las Vegas-based MMA promotion’s anti-doping program, the promotion announced Thursday. Serving as the new independent administrator of the UFC’s anti-doping program will be former FBI agent [autotag]George Piro[/autotag].

Find out more details about Piro below.

UFC to continue anti-doping program, announces partnership with Drug Free Sport International

With USADA out, the UFC plans to continue their anti-doping program under Drug Free Sport International.

LAS VEGAS – The UFC partnership with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) may have come to an end, but their anti-doping program will continue under a partnership with a different entity.

UFC executive vice president and chief business officer [autotag]Hunter Campbell[/autotag] along with senior vice president of athlete health and performance [autotag]Jeff Novitsky[/autotag] announced Thursday that the Las Vegas-based MMA promotion will partner with Drug Free Sport International to run its athlete anti-doping program starting in 2024.

This news comes on the heels of a contentious statement by USADA on Wednesday announcing that the UFC did not renew its services for drug testing.

“Eight years ago when Jeff came over to work with Dana (White) and Lorenzo (Fertitta) and Laurence (Epstein) and the whole team here to build out this program, there wasn’t a mechanism to do this in any other way than using USADA,” Campbell told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a news conference. “Frankly, I would say, the first six years of the program, USADA was an incredible partner. I know that we built out the single greatest testing program in all of professional sports. I couldn’t be prouder of the program that was built. In the last several years, and I know a lot of you have followed it and seen it, there’s been a tremendous amount of technological change that has occurred and not only has there been a massive amount of change, there’s also been a change in the science that has gone into it as well as the players in the space.

“… We didn’t terminate the USADA partnership. We just informed them that we wouldn’t be renewing and that we would be building out a new program at the beginning of the year. So, the testing continues, everything is status quo through the end of the year until something happens otherwise, I don’t know. It’s going to be a complicated relationship for the next few months. Conor (McGregor) is 100 percent in the pool.”

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USADA CEO Travis Tygart said in his announcement that differences over whether UFC star [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] should be granted an exemption from the required six-month testing window caused friction between the UFC and USADA, thus causing their contract not to get renewed. Campbell categorically denied those accusations.

The UFC has been working with USADA since 2015 and will continue to run the anti-doping program until Dec. 31.

DFSI currently works with NCAA, MLB, NFL, NBA and other sports organizations. They have been involved in anti-doping programs for more than two decades. [autotag]George Piro[/autotag] will serve as the independent administrator of the UFC’s anti-doping program.

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