UFC
Randy Couture disagrees with Mark Bocek, doesn't think PEDs are rampant in MMA
Aug 18, 2014 - 12:50:33 PM Randy Couture disagrees with Mark Bocek, doesn't think PEDs are rampant in MMA

DISCUSS ALL THIS IN OUR NEW MMATORCH FORUM

...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

"I think there's always going to be some guys that try to cut corners, who are looking for that short cut or that loop hole, and are willing to kinda take that risk. I mean the penalty is pretty significant. If you get caught, you're gonna lose the opportunity for at least a year to make a living in your sport. And I mean not to mention the damage to your reputation. So I think there are guys, always gonna be a handful of guys that are willing to kinda take those risks. And I think there was a loop hole that maybe some of the guys where using a little bit with the TRT programs which obviously has been closed recently and made a lot of headlines... I didn't really agree with Mark [Bocek's] statement that it was rampant in Mixed Martial Arts. I don't think it's rampant. I think if it was rampant there'd be a lot more guys coming up positive on tests, and there's certainly been a few guys, but if it was rampant then it would be a whole lot more. So I don't know that I agree with that statement, but you know it's human nature."

-Randy Couture talks to Submission Radio about the PED issue in MMA and why he doesn't think it's as severe as Mark Bocek recently said he believed it to be (transcribed by BloodyElbow.com).

Penick's Analysis: Bocek's higher estimates are certainly closer than Couture here. Just because people aren't getting caught doesn't mean they aren't using. They haven't been getting caught because they haven't been adequately tested. That's always been the issue. It's absolutely more rampant in MMA than those at the top want to admit, because it's far too easy to take advantage of current testing procedures. If the testing protocols become stricter and the testing itself is done a lot more frequently and randomly, that's when we'll see more people popping until it effectively becomes a deterrent.

[Randy Couture art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]