UFC Makes 'Significant' Revisions to Drug Policy to Fight Tainted Supplements

The UFC and United States Anti-Doping Agency have made significant revisions to the promotion's anti-doping policy, according to Brett Okamoto of ESPN. 

The promotion will now have a "UFC prohibited list" and a list of "certified supplements." The latter will offer immunity to athletes who test positive for a banned substance in the event those supplements are found to have been contaminated. 

While the prohibited list reportedly follows World Anti-Doping Agency code, there are different thresholds for certain substances now that testing has advanced to the point where trace amounts can be detected. Additionally, an athlete who fails a test because of a contaminated supplement that's been certified by one of five independent supplement certifiers won't receive any discipline from UFC.

The changes intend to address the increased rate of drug cases involving contaminated substances. 

This includes Nate Diaz, who failed a drug test before being cleared ahead of UFC 244. His positive test was traced back to a "vegan, plant-based daily multivitamin."

"I thought was all made up," Diaz said afterward, per Damon Martin of MMA Fighting.

Jon Jones also had atypical findings in his February drug tests before he was cleared to fight.

The revisions to the policy are intended to avoid these misunderstandings in the future.

"The policy needs to be a living, breathing document that's progressive and allows us to pivot our stance, based on what the science supports," UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell told Okamoto. "Testing measures have gotten so good and the types of contaminants are changing constantly, you're seeing a rise in these types of cases."

The new policy will go into effect immediately and will apply to any currently pending cases.