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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
The issue of performance enhancing drugs in MMA isn't only a problem for the UFC, but while they've been criticized for not doing enough to curb the prevalence of PEDs, the second biggest organization in the U.S. has quietly been doing nothing whatsoever.
With Bellator MMA running many of their events in casinos on Indian reservations, they've not been subject to the same type of commission testing done when the UFC travels to different states; additionally, unlike the UFC, Bellator doesn't seem to be conducting any of their own testing when there isn't a commission present.
At least, that's the anecdotal case from Bellator Welterweight Champion Ben Askren, who commented on Twitter regarding a piece about the lack of failed drug tests out of Bellator.
Just read the article on why Bellator fighters don't fail drug tests.Hard to fail a test when you don't take it.Only been tested once!
Askren said the one time he'd been tested was by a commission, which he recalled to be the Pennsylvania commission. That was the event at which he won the Bellator Title from Lyman Good. He added that he himself took part in the VADA program for his most recent fight, but hasn't been tested by Bellator otherwise. He didn't have an issue with it overall, but found it funny that an article commented on the lack of failed drug tests given Bellator isn't drug testing.
Don't really care that we aren't tested bc cheaters will cheat no matter what!Just thought the articles was really silly.
Penick's Analysis: This is another piece of bad publicity for Bellator this week. Though you can't say that they're intentionally trying to get past commission involvement by going to Indian reservations for their events, there is a convenient excuse for them there to avoid doing any drug testing. But the fact that guys are not getting tested in Bellator frequently increases the likelihood of fighters taking advantage of that situation. In the UFC they'd have to consciously try to get around tests if they were using anything, but that's not the case in Bellator right now, and that should bring some increased scrutiny moving forward with the organization.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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