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Andy Foster wants due process for UFC champion Jon Jones on turinabol USADA drug test bust
By Zach Arnold | August 31, 2017
UFC champion Jon Jones was drug tested by both the California State Athletic Commission and USADA (US Anti-Doping Agency) before and after his UFC 214 bout with Daniel Cormier in Anaheim, California for the UFC Light Heavyweight title. USADA is contracted with UFC, hence that is a private contractual matter that fighters waive their administrative rights to. Two parallel tracks.
Jon Jones passed California State Athletic Commission drug tests. However, Jon Jones initially tested positive for the oral steroid turinabol in a pre-fight USADA test.
Jon Jones has requested that the B sample by tested by USADA to confirm the findings of the USADA A sample for drug testing. If the B sample confirms the A sample results, Jones will have to pursue a two-track legal route with an appeal before the California State Athletic Commission and arbitration with USADA.
California State Athletic Commission Executive Officer Andy Foster
In a strangely curious interview with MMA Junkie, California State Athletic Commission Executive Officer Andy Foster publicly commented about Jon Jones testing positive for the oral steroid turinabol in a USADA drug test. Foster commented on the matter while preaching for due process rights.
The horse is already out of the barn. The news about Jon Jones failing a USADA drug test should have never been made public by UFC or any administrative body until the B sample was already tested to confirm the testing results from the A sample.
By going public with the results from the A sample USADA tested, the court of public opinion has already been tainted. UFC has the right to disclose the USADA testing results since their fighters have contracted with them for drug testing services. That doesn’t make it right, however.
Even worse, Athletic Commissions who allow USADA testing of UFC fighters like Jon Jones should keep their mouths shut until the B sample testing results are concluded. There is no point in publicly commenting on USADA test results until more information is processed.
The MMA Junkie interview with Andy Foster served zero purpose other than to grab headlines and inflame a sensitive situation.
“At that point, one of two things is probably going on here: He’s either extremely careless, or he’s a cheater,” Foster said. “I know he’s already been extremely careless once in his career … but none of this makes any sense. That’s why I think it’s very important that we vet this and look at all the available evidence before we jump to conclusions and hang this guy out to dry.”
A UFC fighter, especially UFC champion Jon Jones, understands that failing a drug test is an issue of strict liability. There are mitigating circumstances to reduce the punishment but punishment is coming nevertheless.
Andy Foster commenting on possible intent is irresponsible. You either pass or fail the drug test. In this situation, it was a USADA test that Jon Jones failed and not a California drug test.
If the intent of the MMA Junkie interview was to show that California is really on the case and is on top of things, you can see why Andy Foster claimed that he has five attorneys from the Department of Consumer Affairs in Sacramento and the Attorney General’s office in San Diego handling the Jon Jones USADA drug test failure. What do you need five attorneys for? This is preposterous grandstanding. It’s also an admission of either administrative overzealousness in Sacramento or rank incompetence. Claiming that you have five attorneys investigating UFC champion Jon Jones for allegedly using the oral steroid turinabol is a gigantic waste of the Athletic Commission’s budget, no matter how large the fine is going to be against Jon Jones.
It’s time for the powers-that-be to address due process issues for fighters who initially fail drug tests. Now set a good example by staying silent until B samples are tested before you publicly comment on such matters as an administrator.
Topics: CSAC, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
from what I understand, USADA informed JJ and his manager Malki then blabbed it on social media.
One thing ive wondered is why they don’t test both A+B samples and then inform the cheater?
Foster is shilling for ufc and their high dollar cheaters. Why all the lawyers when all you need are a few good lab techs? Lawyers can’t change the results of the test, only provide some bogus reason for results and feed it to the public. It sounds like thats what they’re planning on doing.
Andy foster said in an interview that CSAC tested only the fighters that USADA did not test. Before the fights they got a list from USADA saying which fighters USADA planned to test so that they didn’t waste time and money testing the same people. He stated that USADA is a designated “collecter” so they can act on behalf of the CSAC. The CSAC did not test Jon jones so his comments are even more reckless.
It was the TJ Desantis podcast in which Andy foster called in. Right after the test results came out on TMZ that he stated the above.
http://www.sherdog.com/radio/Special-Report-De-Santis-Fridley-React-to-Jones-Potential-USADA-Violation-CSAC-Director-Andy-Foster-5251 – Here is the interview Dave is referencing…