UFC shares stance on IV usage after recent Islam Makhachev controversy

Earlier this week, the UFC clarified their position on intravenous infusions (IV) following accusations surrounding Islam Makhachev.

UFC 284 was main-evented by Islam Makhachev facing Alexander Volkanovski for the lightweight title. The superfight truly lived up to the billing as both men went to war in a stunning back-and-forth contest. Ultimately, Makhachev had his hand raised via unanimous decision and the bout is already being labeled a Fight of the Year contender.

Following the Russian fighter's victory, however, fellow lightweight Dan Hooker took to Twitter to make a serious accusation against Makhachev. According to 'The Hangman', when Islam Makhachev arrived in Australia, he met with a nurse who administered him an IV.

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"Dumb c*nt thinks he can fly to Australia hire a nurse to give him an I.V and we won't find out. Cheating dog."

Dan Hangman Hooker

@danthehangman

Dumb cunt thinks he can fly to Australia hire a nurse to give him an I.V and we won’t find out. Cheating dog.

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Dumb cunt thinks he can fly to Australia hire a nurse to give him an I.V and we won’t find out. Cheating dog.

Intravenous infusions are typically against the UFC's athletic policy as they can be potentially used to alter results from a fighter's bloodwork, such as hiding a positive result from the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

To clarify the UFC's stance on fighter IV usage, Jeff Novitzky, the Senior Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance for the UFC, wrote a thread on Twitter.

Novitkzy explained that an IV of under 100mL is permitted to be used without issue, but any amount greater than 100 mL must be disclosed to the UFC and administered and prescribed by a licensed professional.

Check out the thread below:

Jeff Novitzky

@JeffNovitzkyUFC

UFC Anti-Doping Program's (UFC ADP) IV rule was modified in 2019. Athletes, managers and support have rec'd multiple advisories on this rule change beginning in 2019. All UFC ADP rules have been publicly posted since 2015. The IV rule advisories included the following:

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UFC Anti-Doping Program's (UFC ADP) IV rule was modified in 2019. Athletes, managers and support have rec'd multiple advisories on this rule change beginning in 2019. All UFC ADP rules have been publicly posted since 2015. The IV rule advisories included the following:

Jeff Novitzky

@JeffNovitzkyUFC

The following IVs are now permitted without a TUE:

Those rec'd in the course of hospital treatments, surgical procedures, clinical diagnostic investigations;

Those rec'd from a licensed medical prof. after a licensed physician determines that they are medically justified;

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The following IVs are now permitted without a TUE:

Those rec'd in the course of hospital treatments, surgical procedures, clinical diagnostic investigations;

Those rec'd from a licensed medical prof. after a licensed physician determines that they are medically justified;

Jeff Novitzky

@JeffNovitzkyUFC

IVs of less than a total of 100 mL per 12-hour period;

Separate of the UFC ADP rules, athletic commissions require any athlete who receives an IV during fight week to (1) obtain permission from the commission before receiving an IV and;

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IVs of less than a total of 100 mL per 12-hour period;

Separate of the UFC ADP rules, athletic commissions require any athlete who receives an IV during fight week to (1) obtain permission from the commission before receiving an IV and;

Jeff Novitzky

@JeffNovitzkyUFC

(2) disclose use of that IV to the commission after its use.

Despite the fact that IV use is now permitted under UFC ADP if administered by a “licensed medical professional after a licensed physician determines they are medically justified,”

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(2) disclose use of that IV to the commission after its use.

Despite the fact that IV use is now permitted under UFC ADP if administered by a “licensed medical professional after a licensed physician determines they are medically justified,”

Jeff Novitzky

@JeffNovitzkyUFC

the required disclosure of such use to an athletic commission could possibly jeopardize the commission licensing the fight.

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the required disclosure of such use to an athletic commission could possibly jeopardize the commission licensing the fight.

Coach Eugene Bareman weighs in on Islam Makhachev's IV usage

Following the culmination of UFC 284, Alexander Volkanovski's coach Eugene Bareman appeared on Ariel Helwani's The MMA Hour to discuss the fight as well as the controversy surrounding Islam Makhachev.

During the show, Helwani asked Bareman about Dan Hooker and his accusations towards the lightweight champion. According to the award-winning coach, whilst he advised 'The Hangman' against publicly speaking out, he believes there is something going on with Makhachev:

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"We have reliable information to a point... the information, it falls short for several reasons, and one of them is that you can actually take an IV before a fight. It just has to be 100 ml of saline every 12 hours in a 12 hour block. What it has to come down to is whether you believe that people are going to take this saline, 100 ml, and then stop."

He added:

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"There’s enough information there for to be like, ‘Eeeh…’ This is why Alex and the rest of the team are laughing because we’re like, something’s going on there, we just can’t reliably say what it is. It’s frustrating because the whole sport should be played on an even playing field."

Check out Eugene Bareman's comments here:

Jed I. Goodman ©

@jedigoodman

Ariel Helwani asks Eugene Bareman about the Dan Hooker allegations.
#TheMMAHour

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Ariel Helwani asks Eugene Bareman about the Dan Hooker allegations.
#TheMMAHour https://t.co/0abLug2EUP

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