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Thread: Marijuana & MMA

  1. #1
    CSAC: Adam Smith Tests Positive for Steroids, Cocaine and Marijuana

    Posted by MMA Junkie on October 17, 2007 at 2:35 pm ET

    Adam Smith has made mixed-martial-arts history — for all the wrong reasons.

    The California State Athletic Commission today announced that Smith, who dropped a unanimous decision to Dewey Cooper last month at a Strikeforce show, has tested positive for anabolic agents with metabolites for both Nandrolone and Stanozolol. In addition to those steroids, the CSAC announced earlier this month that Smith also tested positive for cocaine and marijuana.

    Smith becomes the first athlete in the state of California to test positive for anabolic agents and drugs of abuse at the same time.

    With the two failed tests, Smith is now suspended a total of 21 months and fined a total of $4,000.

    According to paperwork filed with the CSAC, Smith earned just $500 for the fight.

    “Strikeforce at the Playboy Mansion” took place Sept. 29 in Beverly Hills, Calif. The event was streamed online at Yahoo! Sports, though Smith’s bout appeared on the un-televised undercard.
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    well, like LKFMDC - he's a genuine Kung Fu Hero™
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    As much as I get annoyed when it gets derailed by the array of strange angry people that hover around him like moths, his good posts are some of my favorites.
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    I think he goes into a cave to meditate and recharge his chi...and bite the heads off of bats, of course....

  2. #2
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    MM in MMA

    Maybe this should go on the Frank Shamrock Cung Le thread. I'll do a cross link.
    MMA Fighter's Medical Marijuana Leads to Trouble With California Athletic Commission
    Michael David SmithPosted Mar 27th 2008 8:29PM by Michael David Smith

    Nick Diaz is a mixed martial arts fighter who was scheduled to fight in Saturday night's EliteXC event in San Jose, California.

    But the California State Athletic Commission has refused to license him for the fight. And the reason, according to EliteXC President Gary Shaw, is that Diaz has a prescription for medical marijuana. His manager Cesar Gracie says Diaz uses marijuana to combat attention deficit disorder:

    "Nick is a naturalist by heart," said Gracie. "He thinks Ritalin is an amphetamine. He thinks that's really bad for you. People with ADD are kind of hyper, so he has trouble sleeping. He got the medical marijuana card and he takes his pot to go to sleep and be more focused. It's completely legal in California. Voters voted it in. The commission is actually supposed to obey that, so this will probably open up a legal case. If it was something small, OK, f---- it, whatever. But if they're not even going to allow him to test clean, that doesn't make sense. That's overstepping their boundaries."

    But the Commission says that no matter what state law is on medical marijuana, it has its own rules, and that Diaz is in violation of those rules. Diaz, who last year was fined $3,000 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for a positive marijuana test, will be out the $50,000 purse he would have earned for Saturday night's fight. He is expected to fight next in Hawaii in June.
    Gene Ching
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  3. #3
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    Nick Diaz again

    Mixed martial arts fighter Nick Diaz suspended in Nevada for positive post-bout marijuana test
    By Associated Press, Published: February 22

    LAS VEGAS — Mixed martial arts fighter Nick Diaz won’t be competing in Nevada any time soon.

    The Nevada Athletic Commission on Wednesday handed the UFC welterweight a temporary suspension for testing positive for marijuana after his Feb. 4 loss to Carlos Condit in Las Vegas.

    Commission executive Keith Kizer says Diaz can respond to the positive drug test allegation at a full disciplinary hearing if he seeks reinstatement. No hearing date was set.

    Diaz lost his license for six months and was fined $3,000 by the commission after another positive marijuana test following a win in 2007.

    Diaz manager-trainer Cesar Gracie didn’t immediately respond to a message at his business in Pleasant Hill, Calif.
    Are there any other MMA fighters who use medical marijuana?
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    Silva & Diaz

    UFC STATEMENT ON ANDERSON SILVA

    February 03, 2015

    “On February 3, 2015, the UFC organization was notified by the Nevada State Athletic Commission that Anderson Silva tested positive for Drostanolone metabolites on his Jan. 9 out of competition drug test. UFC’s understanding is that further testing will be conducted by the Commission to confirm these preliminary results.
    “Anderson Silva has been an amazing champion and a true ambassador of the sport of mixed martial arts and the UFC, in Brazil as well as around the world. UFC is disappointed to learn of these initial results.
    "The UFC has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents by its athletes."
    UFC STATEMENT ON NICK DIAZ

    February 03, 2015

    "The UFC has been notified by the Nevada State Athletic Commission that Nick Diaz has tested positive for marijuana metabolites following his fight with Anderson Silva at UFC 183 on Jan. 31 in Las Vegas, Nev. The UFC has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents by our athletes. As a result of his positive test, Diaz has been informed that he has violated the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy and Promotional Agreement with Zuffa, LLC. The UFC organization will fully respect the Commission’s decision relating to Diaz at a hearing set for February 17."
    I forgot about this thread. I was posting Jon 'Bones' Jones recent drug fail on Busted-MMA-fighters-and-fights when it really should have been here.
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    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    I forgot about this thread. I was posting Jon 'Bones' Jones recent drug fail on Busted-MMA-fighters-and-fights when it really should have been here.
    Steroids is, like I have said many times along with HGH, used through out the sports fighting world, pro, amateur and recreational alike.
    Nothing new here and that Silva was one them explains how quickly he recovered from his injury to get back to being his old self.
    As for marijuana, people laugh at this because they don't understand the value of marijuana in the fight game.
    Think about it.
    While the obvious side effects that are detrimental are clear, some forget that for grapplers, the relaxed and mellow state where things appear to slow down, is very beneficial for them.
    Not to mention the pain aspect. Marijuana is know for decrease the perception of pain.
    I don't think that MJ can be viewed as a PED per say, no more than cocaine or PCP for example BUT put it this way:
    If it doesn't have a benefit, why do it?
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  6. #6
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    Silva replies

    Anderson Silva: "I have not taken any performance enhancing drugs"
    Damon Martin
    FOX Sports
    FEB 04, 2015 6:26p ET

    Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images / Getty Images North America

    Anderson Silva broke his silence in a statement released on Wednesday

    Anderson Silva has broken his silence in a prepared statement released to the media on Wednesday, just a day after the Nevada State Athletic Commission released test results that showed the former UFC middleweight champion tested positive for two different performance enhancing drugs.
    Silva had never tested positive for any drugs during any phase of his career before now, but the test results showed the 39-year old Brazilian was positive for both Drostanolone and Androstane, two different kinds of steroids.
    Silva released a statement through his manager Ed Soares denying any wrongdoing.
    "I've been competing in this sport for a very long time. This is my nineteenth fight in the UFC. I have been thoroughly tested many times and have never had a positive drug test," Silva said.
    "I have not taken any performance enhancing drugs. My stance on drugs is, and will always be, the same. I'm an advocate for a clean sport."
    The testing was done by the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory, a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited lab.
    Silva says that he will continue to fight the charges made against him, but will make no further public statement following the one released on Wednesday.
    "I'm consulting with my advisors right now to explore all of my options and intend to fight this allegation and clear my name," Silva said. "I will not make any further comments until my team advises me to do so."
    Nevada State Athletic Commission chairman Francisco Aguilar spoke to FOX Sports on Wednesday confirming that the governing body will address Silva's test in their next meeting on Feb. 17 where a temporary suspension will likely be handed down. From there, Silva has the right to request a second test on the 'B' sample collected during the initial collection on Jan. 9.
    Silva will be responsible to pay for the additional testing if it's requested.
    Following the initial meeting in February, the commission will then work to schedule a time for the full disciplinary hearing where Silva will be allowed to present his case. The hearing will likely be held in March although Aguilar stated that the commission will work with Silva and his team to make sure the timing is convenient for everybody involved.
    Quote Originally Posted by sanjuro_ronin View Post
    As for marijuana, people laugh at this because they don't understand the value of marijuana in the fight game.
    Think about it.
    While the obvious side effects that are detrimental are clear, some forget that for grapplers, the relaxed and mellow state where things appear to slow down, is very beneficial for them.
    Not to mention the pain aspect. Marijuana is know for decrease the perception of pain.
    I don't think that MJ can be viewed as a PED per say, no more than cocaine or PCP for example BUT put it this way:
    If it doesn't have a benefit, why do it?
    Fighters have short memories, just like potheads. Remember Bruce Lee? How about Michael Phelps? Both potheads.
    Gene Ching
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  7. #7
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    Strike TWO

    Anderson Silva fails 2nd drug test
    Updated: February 17, 2015, 5:05 PM ET
    By Brett Okamoto | ESPN.com

    LAS VEGAS -- Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva has failed a second drug test administered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

    NSAC executive director Bob Bennett confirmed to ESPN.com on Tuesday that Silva, 39, failed his postfight urine test after a unanimous decision win against Nick Diaz at UFC 183 on Jan. 31.


    Josh Hedges/Getty Images
    Anderson Silva has failed a second drug test, this time on Jan. 31, the same day as his victory over Nick Diaz at UFC 183 in Las Vegas.

    Silva tested positive for the steroid drostanolone -- the same banned substance he tested positive for during an out-of-competition test taken on Jan. 9. Silva also tested positive for the anti-anxiety medication Oxazepam and Temazepam, which is used to treat sleep deprivation.

    In total, Silva (34-6) submitted to three NSAC tests. He tested positive for drostanolone and androstane on Jan. 9. He then provided a clean sample on Jan. 19, followed by a second failed test on Jan. 31.

    Silva, who had never tested positive for a banned substance before, initially faced a nine-month suspension for his first offense. Bennett did not know whether the commission would increase that length because of a second failed test.

    "I can't speak for the [NSAC] Chairman nor can I speak for the commissioners," Bennett told ESPN.com. "But something I find particularly concerning is that he tested positive on Jan. 9th and then he tested negative on Jan. 19th. If he took this orally, it only stays in your system 5-to-7 days.

    "So, obviously, he used it sometime around Jan. 9th and then he used it shortly before the night of the fight. Whether the commission finds this egregious -- that he tested positive twice out of three times -- is up to them. I certainly find it concerning and unacceptable. It gives an unfair advantage to the person on that. God forbid, a serious injury were to occur to an opponent when someone is on something."

    Silva, widely considered the greatest fighter of all time, has denied knowingly taking any banned substance.

    "I have not taken any performance-enhancing drugs," Silva said, shortly after the initial failed test. "My stance on drugs is and will always be the same. I'm an advocate for a clean sport."

    The NSAC is scheduled to temporarily suspend Silva during a meeting on Wednesday. A disciplinary hearing, which Silva would be required to attend, will most likely be scheduled in March.

    Diaz (26-10) also failed his fight night drug test for marijuana metabolites. He tested negative for all other banned substances.

    The NSAC will determine whether to change the result of the fight to a no-contest at a later date, most likely during Silva's disciplinary hearing.

    Silva's fight night sample, collected on Jan. 31, arrived at the processing lab in Salt Lake City on Feb. 2, according to lab reports relayed by Bennett. The lab reported the results to the NSAC on Feb. 10.

    Bennett said results were not immediately circulated to the media as a courtesy to the licensed athlete, Silva. According to Bennett, Silva's representatives had inquired on the possibility of testing the "B" sample of his first failed test but have so far not submitted an official request to do so.

    Anyone here ever take drostanolone?

    Is that an indelicate question?
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  8. #8
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    5-year suspension for Nick Diaz

    There's vid if you follow the link.

    Nick Diaz suspended 5 years by Nevada commission for marijuana

    LAS VEGAS -- The Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended UFC welterweight Nick Diaz for five years on Monday because of the third marijuana-related offense of his career.

    The NSAC discussed a lifetime ban for Diaz, 32, before voting unanimously on five years.

    NSAC commissioner Skip Avansino acknowledged during deliberations a five-year ban is essentially "a lifetime (ban) for (Diaz)."

    Diaz (26-9) appeared before the commission in person but declined to answer any of its questions. Commissioner Pat Lundvall forced Diaz to verbally plead the fifth throughout a long series of approximately 30 questions.

    Immediately after the hearing, Diaz spoke to the media.


    Nick Diaz tested positive for marijuana metabolites following a unanimous decision loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 183 on Jan. 31. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images

    "I'm pretty ****ed," said Diaz after the hearing. "I got into this sport for this exact reason, being stuck in a room with people like that.

    "I wanted to tell them what I think. I wanted to tell each and every one of them they're a bunch of ****s. Everybody who sees them or knows who they are should tell them that. I would if it weren't for my experts advising me to keep my mouth shut. I wanted to get up and say, 'Look. You guys are way the f--- out of line.' "

    Lucas Middlebrook, Diaz's lead attorney, said he will appeal the five-year suspension. Additionally, the NSAC fined Diaz $165,000.

    "I think it was a completely arbitrary and capricious decision," Middlebrook said. "You heard my opening statement. Based on the facts, if they were to make such a decision, it would be ripe for judicial review. This was a kangaroo court, and you heard the commission: Their decision wasn't based on fact. It wasn't based on evidence.

    "One commissioner said, 'Your attorneys were very persuasive, but you don't respect us. So here's a five-year ban.' "

    Diaz, who fights out of Stockton, California, tested positive for marijuana metabolites following a decision loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 183 on Jan. 31. The circumstances of the failed test were unique in that Diaz passed two drug tests on fight night but failed a third.

    The failed test was collected and analyzed under different methods than the other two. The two clean tests, administered prefight and postfight, were analyzed by the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory (SMRTL) -- which is accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency -- in Salt Lake City.

    The failed test, which was administered between the two clean ones, was analyzed by Quest Diagnostics.

    Diaz's attorneys argued that the Quest results were "scientifically unreliable," unlike the SMRTL results, which were obtained using WADA's higher standard of protocols.

    A medical expert for Diaz, Dr. H. Khella, stated several irregularities in the failed test.

    A box titled "observed" was left unmarked by the collector, which means Diaz might have provided the sample unsupervised. He also pointed out Diaz's name appeared on the sample. Labs are not supposed to be able to identify whom samples belong to.

    Furthermore, Middlebrook argued the failed test was such an outlier when compared with the other two that it had to be unreliable. According to the Quest test, Diaz registered a marijuana metabolites level nearly five times the allowable limit. In the SMRTL tests, however, his levels were well below that allowable threshold.

    The NSAC acknowledged the differing methods of obtaining Diaz's results but maintained it was confident in Quest's findings. NSAC chairman Francisco Aguilar stated, "We do have a positive test, through a method we've used over time."

    The commission also took issue with Diaz's prefight questionnaire, on which he was expected to reveal any substances he took before the fight. Copies of Diaz's questionnaire show he did not indicate any marijuana use before the bout.

    The five-year suspension is the second-longest ever handed down by the NSAC. In September 2014, it served UFC middleweight Wanderlei Silva with a lifetime ban. A Nevada district judge reversed that ruling in May, citing a lack of substantial evidence.

    Diaz, an admitted medical-marijuana user in California, has now been suspended three separate times by the NSAC. The commission suspended him for six months in 2007 after he tested positive for THC. He was suspended for one year in 2012 after testing positive for marijuana metabolites after a loss to Carlos Condit.

    "This is not just a marijuana issue," Aguilar said. "This is an issue of marijuana, a lack of being forthright, a lack of cooperation to make the sport better, a disregard for rules -- it hurts other athletes just as much.

    "I don't have an ego on this commission. Maybe some think I do, but I don't. We have to do our job as regulators. This is not solely a case of marijuana."

    Last month, the result of the Jan. 31 fight between Diaz and Silva was changed to a no-contest, as part of a disciplinary hearing for Silva. Silva was suspended for one year and fined $380,000 for failing multiple tests for anabolic steroids.

    "That's ridiculous," Diaz said. "I never did steroids in my life. I know all the fighters, they are all on steroids. All you m-----f------ are on steroids. I already know that. Everybody knows that. I'm the only person in this sport, for the most part, that ain't on steroids. Now there's new rules in effect, yeah, you've got guys not on steroids now, but they used to be. They've always been on steroids. I don't do steroids. I don't break the rules."
    Gene Ching
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  9. #9
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    Well look at that....

    we petition the obama administration to:
    Lift the NSAC ban from MMA fighter Nick Diaz.

    Nick Diaz was unfairly banned from being a professional fighter by the Nevada Athletics Commission. They ruled based on their personal feelings and beliefs towards the use of medical Marijuana and used their power to deprive Mr.Diaz of being able to make a living.
    Published Date: Sep 14, 2015
    Issues: Civil Rights and Liberties
    Learn about Petition Thresholds
    Signatures needed by October 14, 2015 to reach goal of 100,000
    82,567
    Total signatures on this petition
    Forgive my naivete, but does this happen often in sports?
    Gene Ching
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    Yeah, I get that, s_r

    Remember I competed NCAA, although that was in the 80s when PEDs were just starting to have an impact on college sports. I never got tested but I totally understand playing by the rules. My question was more about the government petition to overturn the NSAC decision. Does that happen a lot? I've not heard of it. My guess is that it is political because marijuana is such a political issue now. Diaz's suspension does seem excessive considering that many athletes that have been popped for PEDs have had much shorter suspensions.

    Ronda Rousey presser: X-rated gaffe, passionate weed defense
    By News.com.auSeptember 16, 2015 | 12:03pm

    Rousey also used the press conference to launch a strong defense of fighter Nick Diaz, who was smacked with a five-year ban by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after using marijuana.
    “I think they should free Nick Diaz,” she said.
    “It’s not Dana’s decision. I think it’s an invasion of privacy for them to test for marijuana and they have no right. They shouldn’t even test for weed. It’s not fair. It’s not a performance-enhancing drug … it’s only tested for political reasons.”
    That's just an excerpt. Ronda also talks about if she came in Holm's face right away....
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    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    Remember I competed NCAA, although that was in the 80s when PEDs were just starting to have an impact on college sports. I never got tested but I totally understand playing by the rules. My question was more about the government petition to overturn the NSAC decision. Does that happen a lot? I've not heard of it. My guess is that it is political because marijuana is such a political issue now. Diaz's suspension does seem excessive considering that many athletes that have been popped for PEDs have had much shorter suspensions.

    That's just an excerpt. Ronda also talks about if she came in Holm's face right away....
    Doesn't matter what MJ is or not, all that matters is that it is illegal and doing an illegal drug gets you suspended.
    If they don't like it then they( the fighters) should petition the UFC to change the rules, period.
    I always get a laugh when I hear someone say of a drug , " It's not performance enhancing..." or " It makes no difference to performance".
    Great, why do it then?
    Why do something that you KNOW is illegal and can get you suspended if there is NO benefit to it ??
    Psalms 144:1
    Praise be my Lord my Rock,
    He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !

  12. #12
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    crime and punishment

    The issue isn't whether or not the crime should be punished. It's about the magnitude of the punishment. For justice to be exacted, the scales must be equal.

    NSAC sends wrong message on Diaz
    Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff Writer

    LAS VEGAS -- The Nevada State Athletic Commission sent a very troubling message to its athletes -- and its own employees -- on Monday.

    Apparently, it is acceptable to incorporate personal feelings into the regulation of combat sports.

    In my opinion, there is little doubt the NSAC's decision on Monday to suspend Nick Diaz for five years was a personal one. The ruling did not align with actions taken previously by the NSAC and it actually went against a proposed set of suspension lengths the commission itself introduced this year.

    If there is one thing the NSAC dislikes more than a guilty athlete, it's a guilty athlete who shows no remorse. And in three separate NSAC disciplinary hearings for marijuana-related offenses, Diaz has shown no remorse.

    He has now been suspended by the Nevada commission in 2007, 2012 and 2015. He has been chastised for essentially hiding his marijuana use from the NSAC, but still continues to leave its precious prefight questionnaire blank. And then (gasp), he refuses to apologize for doing so afterward.

    During a 2012 hearing, commissioner Pat Lundvall reminded Diaz he had "promised" the commission in 2007 that he would stop smoking marijuana. Lundvall asked Diaz how quickly he had resumed smoking after making that promise.

    "I imagine when I got home," Diaz deadpanned.

    It was commissioner Lundvall who then refused to allow Diaz to offer a blanket statement during his hearing on Monday. Rather than allow Diaz to universally plead the fifth, Lundvall forced him to repeatedly state the words "fifth amendment," as she asked approximately 30 questions that included whether or not he speaks English.

    Diaz's lawyer, Lucas Middlebrook, grew so irritated during this process, he accused Lundvall of a "misinterpretation" of her legal right to publicly embarrass Diaz during his testimony. Lundvall overruled Middlebrook and continued.

    Later in the hearing, it was Lundvall again who made a motion to ban the 32-year-old Diaz for life, a move that would effectively end his career.

    Ultimately, two commissioners were uncomfortable with a lifetime ban, so a five-year suspension was agreed upon. This potentially life-altering change for Diaz -- a difference between not being able to fight for five years and the rest of his natural-born life -- took the commission about two minutes to discuss.

    Near the end of deliberations, NSAC chairman Francisco Aguilar made it a point to say Diaz's case was about "more than marijuana," but that's where he was wrong. This case shouldn't be about more than marijuana. It shouldn't be about making a statement to future athletes or finally putting a rebellious Diaz in his place. It shouldn't be about treating politically correct athletes better than ones who show a disdain for the commission and the job it performs.

    Disciplinary hearings are about administering justice -- with due process. It doesn't matter that Diaz referred to each and every commission member as a **** and said the words "fifth amendment" in a way that suggested he was thinking of a different, less professional two-word response. None of that makes him more or less guilty of a violation.

    Diaz deserved to be penalized for leaving his prefight questionnaire empty. He routinely tries to operate outside of the administrative rules. But the NSAC seemingly allowed its personal feelings toward Diaz to influence its punishment of him -- and that is unacceptable.

    Should an NSAC-licensed referee treat combatants differently, based on personal feelings toward each of them? Should a judge award a close round of a fight to the more respectful athlete in the cage?

    Many joke about the NSAC and its tendency to be lenient on athletes who show up to disciplinary hearings and play the game. Answer the commission's questions respectfully, speak well of its members and smile while doing so -- this is widely considered the best defense strategy.

    Rarely, though, has an example of opposite behavior produced such an egregious result. The NSAC has taken admirable steps in its regulation of combat sports in recent years, but Monday's disciplinary hearing -- and the message it sent -- was the wrong one.
    Gene Ching
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    Well, that's the thing with a democracy.

    A democracy assumes that the majority is right. But what if the majority is just stupid? That's the real question we seem to be facing with our next election. Get 100,000 signatures and our democratic government must heed the people...including celebs.

    Nick Diaz petition reaches goal thanks to tons of celebrity support
    UFC welterweight Nick Diaz will receive an official response from the White House after a petition reached 100,000 this week after the embattled fighter was suspended for five years after allegedly testing positive for marijuana following his bout at UFC 183 in January.


    Nick Diaz found a lot of people sympathetic to his suspension handed down in Nevada.
    Jed Jacobsohn/Zuffa LLC
    By Damon Martin
    Oct 15, 2015 at 5:27p ET

    UFC welterweight Nick Diaz will receive an official response from the White House after a petition reached 100,000 signatures this week after the embattled fighter was suspended for five years for allegedly testing positive for marijuana following his bout at UFC 183 in January.

    The petition received over 113,000 signatures as of Thursday with a great amount of support from the mixed martial arts community as well as a massive celebrity contingency.

    Diaz did not start the petition personally, but supported the initiative as people from around the world flocked to the fighter's side after the Nevada State Athletic Commission banned him from fighting for five years following his third such infraction in the state.

    It's unlikely Diaz expected the outpouring of support that he received from celebrities such as Jeremy Piven, Cher, Tommy Chong, Wiz Khalifa and many others who took to Twitter and other social-media outlets to encourage people to sign the petition (Caution: Strong language).
    Note that the comments from celebs can be found by following the link above. I didn't bother to cut&paste them all here.
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    “No justice, no peace!”

    More on the Culinary Union

    Oct 30, 2015
    Teamsters and Culinary Union call on Nevada to Reform Athletic Commission

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    October 30, 2015

    MEDIA CONTACT:

    Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088

    Teamsters and Culinary Union call on Nevada to Reform Athletic Commission

    Las Vegas, NV – Yesterday, a rally calling for reform of the Nevada State Athletic Commission was held outside the Grant Sawyer State Office Building at the same time NSAC held its regular monthly meeting. The protest was organized by Teamsters Local 986 and the Culinary Union.

    The rally follows the delivery of a letter to Governor Brian Sandoval from the two unions last month. The letter outlined the problems with the unfair treatment of MMA fighter Nick Diaz in a recent decision by NSAC. Mr. Diaz was given a five-year ban and fined $165,000 for allegedly testing positive for marijuana at a lab not accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). NSAC ignored two other negative drug tests that were sampled the same day and tested WADA-accredited labs. The unions have asked the governor to mitigate the unfair decision against Mr. Diaz, review NSAC policies and procedures, and appoint a commissioner with medical expertise. (See the letter here.)

    “The Commission’s unfair decision against Mr. Diaz demonstrates an arbitrary selection of facts, is inconsistent with the Commission’s own policy, and endangers the reputation of the sport of MMA and the tourism industry in Nevada,” said Chris Griswold, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 986, in the letter.

    The NSAC ban of Mr. Diaz was met with outrage by the MMA community and general public. A White House petition asking the Obama administration to lift the ban was started the day of the ruling against Mr. Diaz. Within 30 days, the petition received over 100,000 signatures. A number of fighters have even called for a boycott of Nevada and are refusing to fight in the state, which is commonly referred to by promoters as the “fight capital of the world.”

    Tuesday, Mr. Diaz tweeted out news that legal talks with the Commission were going well, hinting at a potential settlement. NSAC Chairman Francisco Aguilar confirmed the talks and reminded the general public that “the Nick Diaz disciplinary matter will not be on the agenda at the regularly scheduled meeting of the NSAC on Thursday in Las Vegas.”

    At the rally, participants held picket signs and chanted: “No justice, no peace!” Attendees then packed the NSAC hearing, gave public comments, and submitted a letter from State Senator Tick Segerblom to Chairman Aguilar.

    “Our unions protect the interests of our members,” said Geoconda Arguello-Kline, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Culinary Union. “We take notice when we see a government agency making unfair decisions against workers that jeopardize the tourism industry in Las Vegas.”

    ###

    Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE, represent over 55,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including at most of casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and in Downtown Las Vegas. UNITE HERE represents 270,000 workers in gaming, hotel, and food service industries in North America.

    www.CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    suspension reduced to 18 months

    That seems more reasonable.

    Nick Diaz suspension reduced from five years to 18 months, eligible to fight in August
    Nick Diaz had his suspension dramatically reduced from five years to 18 months in a settlement agreement that was approved by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.


    Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

    By Damon Martin @DamonMartin
    Jan 12, 2016 at 12:54p ET

    Nick Diaz didn't actually appear before the Nevada Athletic Commission on Tuesday but the governing body quickly approved his settlement hearing that will reduce his suspension from five years to 18 months after allegedly testing positive for marijuana stemming from his last fight at UFC 183 in January 2015.

    The commission brought up Diaz's settlement agreement and quickly gave a unanimous vote to the order, but didn't actually reveal the details or admit wrongdoing in the matter.

    Diaz's settlement will see the fighter suspended 18 months, which will make him eligible to return to action as early as August 1, 2016.

    Diaz also had his fine reduced from $165,000 down to $100,000 as part of the settlement agreement.

    Diaz was originally suspended for five years at a commission meeting in September 2015 after allegedly testing positive for marijuana for the third time in the state of Nevada. The public outcry in support of Diaz went as far as an online petition that received a response from the White House after 100,000 signatures were collected.

    The commission declined to comment on the matter and with neither Diaz nor his attorneys present at the hearing, the entire order and vote took a matter of seconds before moving onto new business.

    'We cannot comment now because it is still an ongoing matter," Nevada commission officials told FOX Sports' Heidi Fang, who was in attendance at the proceedings.

    Considering the ruling on Tuesday, Diaz could likely book a fight with the UFC for an upcoming event in August once those cards are scheduled by the promotion.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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