UFC President Doesn't 'Buy' Supplement Excuse

UFC president Dana White said fighters who use the "it wasn't my fault I failed the drug test; it was an adulterated supplement" excuse should buck up and take blame. Even if a supplement is the cause of the dirty test, White said fighters need to know what they're taking and take responsibility.

White statements—which are quite colorful—came after fighter King Mo Lawal failed a drug test and blamed a dietary supplement he said he legally purchased over the counter. As quoted by SB Nation, White questioned any fighter who ingests something they haven't vetted. He said fighters who test positive for performance-enhancing drugs should admit what they did and face the consequences. He said he didn't "buy" the supplement excuse.

I'm glad White publically took this stance. It may not be easy for a president to take shots at the athletes who create a revenue stream for the company, but at least he has the correct opinion on his side. I agree with White, if you make a mistake, admit it, pay the consequences and move on. Blaming supplements makes the athlete look ignorant and naive, and it blows another credibility chip out of the already beaten-up sports supplement industry.

Athletes have no excuse, especially when they can buy products that have tested and certified by third parties. For instance, NSF International's Certified for Sport® program makes it easy for anyone to see which products are clean. And NSF makes it easy to access its information, with a consumer website and a recently launched mobile device app.