Steroids in MMA: Are they here to stay?
Jon Jones has tested positive for steroids following his bout with Daniel Cormier for the Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 214 in Anaheim, with the result of the fight – originally won by Jones by knockout – changed to no-contest.
But as the dust has settled over the past few days on a monumental tragedy for MMA, questions are beginning to rise from the debris.
The obvious question is of what happens next for Jon ‘Bones’ Jones? Well, you can be almost certain that you won’t see him headlining or even appearing at a UFC event anytime soon. Jones’ conviction will undoubtedly be a stain on his career and legacy, but will we ever see him compete again?
The suspension prevents Jones from competing in America, although he would be able to compete abroad in alternative organisations such as One Championship and Rizin Fighting Federation, both located in Asia. However, as big as these competitions are, neither have the ‘X Factor’ of the UFC.
With Brock Lesnar and Yoel Romero also being punished for doping in recent times, it seems that USADA are cracking down on the use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) within the sport. However, these cases still seem to be cropping up even now, with Jones’ recent ‘flagging’ by USADA being his third offence.
Nate Diaz controversially declared “Everybody’s on steroids†in a press conference before last year’s UFC 202. If that infamous quote is true, how many athletes have managed to slip under the radar without being caught?
Fans may have to accept that the controversies surrounding banned PEDs in sport will always be present.
Using Lance Armstrong and Justin Gatlin as prime examples, it’s easy to see how these drugs have affected athletes after they’ve been found guilty of taking them, with the side-effects of these substances being the least of their concerns.
It would seem steroids and performance enhancing drugs are here to stay, and these will always be affiliated not just with the sport of MMA but with the world of sport in general. All we can ask is for governing bodies such as USADA and WADA to crack down on those who break the laws and be strict about their sanctions.
Let’s just hope that the athletes who do have a choice of whether to take steroids in the first place make the right choice.
