The issue of steroid use by fighters is once again front and center, with the news that MMA legend Royce Gracie tested positive for steroids after his June 2nd rematch against Kazushi Sakuraba. According to the California State Athletic Commission, Gracie tested positive for a metabolite, or product, of the steroid nandrolone, an injectable drug used to build muscle mass.
MMA must start bringing policies regarding steroid use in line with those of other professional sports if it is to enjoy both the longevity and the credibility of sports like football and basketball.
As recently as 2005 the NFL moved to strengthen their policy regarding steroids. Changes in the policy included bringing positive test thresholds in line with Olympic standards and increasing the number of times a player can be tested in the off season. This shows that even among established sports leagues, there is an evolving awareness of the need for vigilance in this matter.
A 2006 document published jointly by the NFL and the NFL Players Association sets forth the league’s policy. The NFL cites three reasons for their concern with the use of steroids by athletes. The document is quoted here to illustrate that fact that MMA is not exempt from any of the concerns cited by the NFL.
“First, these substances threaten the fairness and integrity of the athletic competition on the playing field. Players use steroids for the purpose of becoming bigger, stronger, and faster than they otherwise would be. As a result, steroids and related substances threaten to distort the results of games and League standings.”
Reach back no further in MMA history than 2002, to find an instance of steroids influencing competitive standings. At UFC 36, Josh Barnett defeated Randy Couture for the heavyweight championship. Barnett was later stripped of his title after testing positive for the steroid Boldenone. Whether or not Barnett would have won the belt without steroids will never be known. But what is known is that the UFC was left without a heavyweight champion because of an athlete using performance enhancing drugs.
The impact of steroids on the integrity of mixed martial arts competition is no longer hypothetical. The proven susceptibility of the sport to such a problem should compel promoters to take reasonable measures to ensure fighters fight clean. This includes contractually obligating fighters to submit to testing upon request. Let’s remember that a contract may consist of whatever terms are agreed to by the signatories, consistent with any applicable laws. Meaning, the same system of contract law that allows for an ill-conceived boxing match between a fighter and a promoter, also allows a promoter to mandate steroid testing for fighters.
“Second, the League is concerned with the adverse health effects of steroid use. Although research is continuing, steroid use has been linked to a number of physiological, psychological, orthopedic, reproductive, and other serious health problems.”
Anabolic steroids are synthetic derivatives of the male hormone testosterone, with the term “anabolic” referring to the muscle building properties of these drugs. Steroid use is legal only with a doctor’s prescription, though it seems these drugs are easily obtained for illegal use. Common side effects include severe acne, male breast enlargement, shrinkage of the testicles, male infertility, and hair loss in both men and women. The term “roid rage” has been coined to describe the erratic and often violent behavior associated with the use of steroids.
Long term use of steroids can damage the heart, liver and kidneys. The heart is a muscle, and it too can be grossly enlarged by the use of steroids. Some steroids have been shown to increase levels of bad cholesterol and decrease levels of good cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart attack. Additionally, steroids can cause the formation of tumors and cysts in the liver that can be ruptured by a blow to the body.
“Third, the use of Prohibited Substances by NFL players sends the wrong message to young people who may be tempted to use them. High School and college students are using these substances with increasing frequency, and NFL players should not by their own conduct suggest that such use is either acceptable or safe, whether in the context of sports or otherwise.”
The influence of celebrity on young people is well proven. In fact, large corporations like McDonalds’s, Pepsi, Nike, and The Gap routinely stake millions of dollars on the belief that celebrities can affect the behavior of the public at large, and young people in particular. The question remains, then, whether or not MMA fighters have the same reach and influence as athletes in established sports. The answer is increasingly becoming: yes.
The past few months, former UFC light heavyweight champion, Chuck Liddell, has appeared on David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, and ESPN Sportscenter, guest starred on the HBO series Entourage, and was featured on the cover of ESPN magazine. Liddell, and by extension the UFC as a mixed martial arts promotion, is receiving a great deal of exposure to audiences beyond the traditional fan base.
To be clear, Chuck Liddell has never tested positive for a banned substance. The point is simply, as more fighters come into the public eye, they too will begin to have influence over young people, comparable to that of Derek Jeter or Shaquille O’Neal.
MMA is not football, it’s not baseball, and it’s not basketball. But what MMA has in common with other professional sports is that the athletes are the life’s blood of the sport. The athletes are the reason we watch. They are the reason we cheer. And they are the reason we all want to see a competitive platform that is both safe, fair, and pure.