UFC Accused of Scheduling Vitor Belfort Fights in Brazil So He Can Use Steroids

By Millard Baker, Senior Writer, Steroid.com

Vitor Belfort, the UFC middleweight mixed martial artist from Brazil, is scheduled to fight Dan Henderson in UFC Fight Night 32 on November 9, 2013. The fight marks the fourth time (out of the last five times) that Belfort has fought in Brazil. Some people think that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is intentionally scheduling his fights in Brazil primarily so that Belfort can use anabolic steroids with the blessing of the Brazilian athletic commission in charge of MMA competition.

Belfort is one of several active MMA fighters who is using testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Several athletic commissions in the United States have set the precedent allowing fighters to obtain a therapeutic use exemption for their use of steroids (testosterone) if they have a medically-support diagnosis of hypogonadism. The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) and the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) regularly grant permission for MMA fighters to use TRT.

However, one circumstance in which an MMA fighter could be denied a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) may arise if the fighter has previously been suspended for the non-medical use of steroids. Keith Kizer, the executive director of the NSAC, has gone on record stating that the commission would be unlikely to approve a TUE if the competitor failed a steroid test and had been disciplined by the commission. He cited specifically cited Belfort when discussing the issue earlier this year with Damon Martin of the Bleacher Report.

"I don't see Vitor Belfort getting a TRT exemption from us,” Kizer said. “I really don't and I feel kind of bad for him in some ways because if he has learned from his mistakes and now he's trying to do it the right way and his levels are low with the treatment good for him and I hope he is doing that."

The reason prior steroid use would disqualify an athlete from receiving a TUE for TRT is that steroid use is known to cause hypogonadism i.e. anabolic steroid induced hypogonadism (ASIH). ASIH is usually only temporary. But ASIH is often used a deceptive pretense for "tricking" a doctor into prescribing TRT.

Belfort has not been prevented from fighting in Nevada or California following his admission that he use testosterone (an anabolic steroid) for TRT. But then again, he has not applied for a license to fight in those state either.

Dana White, the president of the UFC, has vehemently denied the allegations that the UFC is allowing Belfort to fight primarily in Brazil, while avoiding the jurisdictions of certain athletic commissions in the United States, just so he can get away with using steroids (testosterone). White asserts that the UFC has too much integrity to do something like that.

"Do you think we would lie about that and risk the credibility of the sport, the UFC as a brand, so that Vitor Belfort could fight in (expletive) Brazil and cheat?" asked White.

White goes on to reiterate that the UFC wouldn't schedule Belfort's fights in a particular region simply so Belfort or any other fighter could “get away with something.”

"Vitor Belfort is not cheating. Vitor Belfort is not, not being tested. Vitor Belfort is not fighting in Brazil because he can get away with something down there," White said. "First of all, we wouldn't do that for anybody, anybody. We would never put together a situation where a fighter has an advantage over another fighter."

White claims that the location of Belfort's fights is based solely on the demanded match-ups between fighters and the demands of major media partners. For example, Organizações Globo is one of the largest media companies in Latin America. They are based in Brazil and, according to White, they want Belfort to fight in Brazil.

Source:

Martin, D. (August 29, 2013). Vitor Belfort Fights in Brazil Due to the UFC's TV Partner, Not to Hide TRT Use. Retrieved from //bleacherreport.com/articles/1755430-vitor-belfort-fights-in-brazil-due-to-the-ufcs-tv-partner-not-to-hide-trt-use