Steroid Use in Mma

Ever since the beginning of steroid testing in mixed martial arts, which began in about 2000, there have been positive tests for steroids which have tainted the sport of MMA and the fighter’s careers. Athletes who use steroids have an unfair advantage on their competitor. Steroids are dangerous to the fighter’s well-being and are banned from MMA for that reason. Steroid use in MMA is a big problem. There should be more testing done on fighters and harsher penalties on fighters who test positive for steroids. Here is a brief insight to what MMA is. Two fighters fight in a cage or ring. Fighters fight in the different fighting styles of boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, karate, judo, kickboxing, muay thai, and sambo. Most of the best fighters train in all main areas. This makes them versatile, which makes for a better fight. Great fighters can finish one fight by punching, another by kicking, and the next by submission. In a MMA fight non-title fights last 3 five minute rounds. In a MMA title fight, there are 5 five-minute rounds. Fights are finished either by knockout, technical knockout (referee stoppage), or submission in any of the three rounds. If none of these occur then judges decide who won the fight. Steroid testing has helped keep the sport fair for all competitors. State athletic commissions test the fighters about two weeks to a month before a fight and minutes or hours after a fight. They usually use a urine test on the fighters. The athletic commission tests for all performance enhancing drugs and drugs of abuse. If a fighter tests positive for any of these drugs they will be suspended for up to one year for a first offence and have to pay a hefty fine of up to $10,000. The athletic commissions do issue these fines and suspensions for fairness of the sport and for the fighter’s health. One of these fighters who has had to pay the $10,000 fine is Josh “The Baby-Faced Assassin” Barnett. Josh Barnett tested positive for steroids just days before a major fight with Fedor Emelianenko, arguably the best fighter in the world. On July 23, 2009 the California state athletic commission denied a license to MMA fighter Josh Barnett after he tested positive for a banned substance. A sample from Barnett 's drug test came back positive for drostanolone, an anabolic steroid. The California state athletic commission learned of the results and immediately denied a license for Barnett. (Farias, Luis) The entire event that Josh Barnett and Fedor were supposed to fight in was canceled. More than 20 fighters scheduled to compete were left without a paycheck. Steroids have very horrible effects on its users. Some fighters use steroids because they believe that anabolic steroids can improve competitiveness and performance. It is also proven to heal some injuries faster. Fighters abuse steroids to build lean muscle mass, promote aggressiveness, and increase body weight. Steroids directly affect testosterone level in the people who use it. Testosterone is a hormone which has multiple effects in men and women. These effects can be divided into two basic groups: androgenic and anabolic. Androgenic effects include the development of the male reproductive system. Anabolic effects include growth of skeletal muscle. ("Anabolic Steroids and Sports: Winning at any Cost.") Athletes who use steroids desire the anabolic effects of it while minimizing the androgenic effects. There are many products which are used to obtain anabolic effects. Some example products include testosterone, boldenone, nandrolone, and stanozolol. (Malik, Farhan, and Timothy Trainor) There are many physical long term effects that effect men and women the same, and differently. In adolescent males and females, steroids can lead to early stoppage of bone growth which is irreversible. There are certain steroid use traits that men only encounter. They include male-pattern baldness, increased growth of breast tissue, and decreasein natural testosterone. This loss of testosterone production leads to a reduction in sperm function and a decrease in testicle size. Men may experience erectile dysfunction as well as prolonged erection, may develop an enlarged prostate. (Malik, Farhan, and Timothy Trainor) There are certain traits that women only encounter from steroid use. These physical long term effects in women include breast shrinkage, growth of male-pattern hair at the face, armpits, and pubic areas, deepening of the voice. These changes are often irreversible. Women also experience negative effects on their reproductive system. Ovary function is suppressed, the uterus can shrink, menstrual cycles become irregular or stop altogether, enlargement of the clitoris may occur, and birth defects can occur if a woman becomes pregnant. (Malik, Farhan, and Timothy Trainor) Probably the most important effects of steroids in both genders are the non visible long term effects. Steroids can increase the risk of tendon and muscle injury, osteonecrosis (bone death and destruction), decrease sugar tolerance and thyroid function, and an increase in “bad” cholesterol and a decrease in “good” cholesterol. An increase in red blood cell count will lead to thickening of the blood, high blood pressure develops, and the risk of forming blood clots also increases. The accumulation of these changes can lead to many problems including stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and liver failure. (Malik, Farhan, and Timothy Trainor) There is an increased risk of developing certain types of liver cancer. Finally, there are detrimental effects related the specific steroid compounds which are used and the manner in which they are administered. Products may be tainted with substances not shown on the labels. Skin and soft tissue infections can occur from poor injection techniques. Shared needles can lead to Hepatitis B and C as well as to HIV infection. (Malik, Farhan, and Timothy Trainor) Over the years many fighters have tested positive for steroids. In a UFC fight at UFC 73 on July 7, 2007 the main event was a lightweight championship fight between fighters Sean Sherk and Hermes Franca. Sean Sherk won the fight by unanimous decision. Days after the fight, reports surfaced that both fighters had tested positive for steroids. This was the first time this had happened in MMA history. Two opposing fighters tested positive for steroids. Both fighters were suspended by the California State Athletic Commission and fined. Sean Sherk was also stripped of the UFC lightweight title. ("State Of California—State And Consumer Services Agency Meeting August 6, 2007.") There must be more testing and for any fighter and harsher penalties for any fighter who tests positive for steroids. I believe that testing should be done once a month to any contracted fighter of any MMA organization. This will help ensure that any fighter will not take steroids to heal an injury faster or for any use because they won’t have time for the banned substance to be eliminated from their system after taking it. This will result in less positive tests for steroids. There should also be harsher penalties. The maximum penalty right now has been $10,000. If a fighter is making $500,000 in a fight, the penalty is miniscule. I believe the penalty should be 50% of the fighter’s purse. So if a fighter makes $50,000 and they test positive for a performance enhancing drug, their penalty would be $25,000. If it were a high paid fighter their penalty would be significantly higher. These kinds of fines would make a fighter think twice about doing steroids or any performance enhancing drug. Steroid Use in Mixed Martial Arts
Jordan Costa
Final Paper
English 11 Works Cited Farias, Luis. "California State Athletic Commission Statement Regarding Mixed Martial Arts Fighter Josh Barnett." Home - California Department of Consumer Affairs. State of California, 31 July 2009. Web. 11 Nov. 2009. http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/press_releases/2009/0731_csac.shtml.

Cited: Farias, Luis. "California State Athletic Commission Statement Regarding Mixed Martial Arts Fighter Josh Barnett." Home - California Department of Consumer Affairs. State of California, 31 July 2009. Web. 11 Nov. 2009. http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/press_releases/2009/0731_csac.shtml.