More Money, More Problems: Steroids in MMA

With the latest steroid scandal giving MMA another black eye the time has come for self regulation. It is simply too easy to cheat the system. Now that Dana White has carried the sport to new levels its time to take action. There is no perfect solution but simply leaving the responsibility in the hand of the athletic comission is not enough.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize that steroid use lurks in the shadows of virtually every competitive sport. With more scandals and positive tests than I care to keep track of these days I am almost ready to accept that as long as big money is on the line, athletes will do anything to gain that extra advantage. Recently Mixed Martial Arts has come under fire for an alarming host of positive tests and it’s not just how many, but also who has been caught. In the latest UFC title fight between Sean Sherk and Hermes Franca, both champion and challenger tested positive. This is just the latest incident in a string of positive tests that include past champions like Tim Sylvia, Vitor Belfort, Josh Barnett, and Royce Gracie. Some argue that the use of steroids in can be particularly attractive in MMA due to its ability to speed up the healing process in a sport where injuries are so common due to the intense training.

I would argue that the real issue is no self regulation within the sport. Without a policy similar to those instituted in other major sports like the MLB and NFL, where random tests have been instituted, the athletes can easily cycle on and off to gain the benifts without being detected. Athletes have learned to avoid detection by various methods and will continue to do so despite more sophisticated and comprehensive testing. Many athletes have simply altered what drugs they use and when they use them. One of the most common methods of escaping detection when using anabolic steroids is simply discontinuing the use of oral AAS several days prior to a drug test. Oral AAS, such as Anavar, Winstrol (tablets), and Dianabol, are usually undetectable 3 to 4 days of after cessation. Injectable steroids usually have a much longer detection interval. Metabolites of nandrolone (Sean Sherk) have been found in the urine of some athletes after 2 years it was reportedly last used. Stanozolol (Winstrol-V) has been detected in the urine of an athlete 4 months after cessation of its injection. Oral AAS metabolites can be cleared from the body in only fourteen days after discontinuing use and are therefore more commonly used when drug testing is a concern. My gut feeling tells me that Sean Sherk simply didn’t realize that the nandrolone would stay in his system for such a long period of time, and was as surprised as anyone when he was caught.
Here is a chart that details the detection times for the more popular steroids

4 days Clenbuterol
1 week Testosterone undecanoate
2 weeks Testosterone propionate
3 weeks Oral Stanozolol Oxandrolone - Anavar
5 weeks Ethylestrenole Mesterolone Methandienone Noretadrolone
2 months Drostanolone propionate Fluoxymesterone Formebolone injectable Stanozolol Oxymetholone
3 months Testosterone cypionate Testosterone enanthate Testosterone-mix (Sustanon & Omnadren)
5 months Boldenone undecyclate injectable methandienone Metehenolone enanthate Trenbolone Trenbolone acetate
1 year nandralone

Despite new masking agents used to avoid detection there is no excuse for such a laughable steroid policy in organizations such as the UFC where hundreds of millions of dollars are pouring in. I know that Dana likes to pretend that the responsibility lies on the athletes and the athletic commission, but he needs to step up and take control of the situation. At least adopt a policy where random drug testing is a reality, and show us you are committed to solving the problem. Even though it may not be possible to eliminate steroid use, the integrity of the sport is at risk and action is needed. I know how easy it is for me to say this from the comfort and anonymity of my computer screen, but when both fighters in your most recent title fight come up dirty you have a problem. Furthermore it’s unfair to those athletes who are clean to ignore the issue. They deserve the full credit for their accomplishments and until changes are made we don’t know who to trust.

Written by Doug MacEwan