"It does overstep the mark at certain times" - Michael Bisping and Anthony Smith discuss USADA's policy regarding 'whereabouts failures'
Michael Bisping and Anthony Smith recently discussed the demands of USADA drug testing on UFC fighters.
During episode 420 of Believe You Me, Michael Bisping and Anthony Smith discussed multiple topics. These included Leon Edwards getting a champion's homecoming on English soil, a complete event preview of the upcoming UFC Paris card, and more.
Bisping discussed the requirements of being in USADA'S testing pool:
"If you're going out of town, you're supposed to tell them. Even if you're getting on a plane. Staying overnight somewhere else. I know where you're going with this, Brian [MacKay]. Very controlling and very big brother and Orwellian... I'm all for it because it cleans up the sport."
Michael Bisping continued:
"But I guess it does overstep the mark at certain times into a little bit controlling. But they mean well. They can be a pain in the a**. Has anyone ever had a ban for missing? Because you get three strikes, you get a ban don't you?"
Watch the video below:
Anthony Smith responded to Bisping's question by stating that Nick Diaz had three USADA whereabouts failures within a 12-month rolling period, which constitutes a ban in USADA's eyes.
During the chat, Smith said that he's only had one whereabouts failure with USADA over the years. It seems like 'Lionheart' has an amicable enough dynamic with this whereabouts failure rule but not all UFC fighters seem to feel that way.
Michael Bisping and other UFC USADA whereabouts failures
Donald Cerrone got his first whereabouts failure before his UFC lightweight world title bid at UFC on FOX 17 in December 2015. 'Cowboy' had told Tait Fletcher on The Pirate Life podcast that USADA testers were on the way to his house but he went to Las Vegas "on a whim." He did not relay it promptly enough and this elicited the failure.
Derek Brunson has previously mentioned having whereabouts failures that were a by-product of what he called a "glitchy app." He felt it was restrictive in the context of wanting to check on properties and visit family.
Derek Brunson sounds off on USADA and their testing protocols 👊 https://t.co/jWYlbBkobh
Yair Rodriguez is someone who had three whereabouts failures in a 12-month period. This happened in December 2020 and the eligibility for the elite featherweight contender resumed at the end of the first quarter of 2021.
USADA has suspended Yair Rodriguez six months due to a whereabouts violation, the agency announced. He has not failed a drug test, but was unavailable three times over a 12-month span for sample collections. More coming to @espnmma.