Cage Potato Makes Case For Random Testing

Is the NSAC a branch of the government in some awkward sense? Yes. But this isn't the FBI knocking on your door to do a retina scan because you checked out The Communist Manifesto from the local library. This is done to promote fairness and a level playing field.

We want the commission to do it simply because we don't want the UFC to be in charge of it. Self-policing doesn't work well in these scenarios. Just look at the WWE. Look at Pride. Look at any organization where there's no oversight from an unbiased organization. Things get bad in a hurry. Baseball can survive a widespread steroid scandal, but MMA can't. It's in too fragile a state. Just as the UFC ran to regulation of their rules and competitions, the same is necessary when it comes to performance-enhancing drugs.

Rome seems particularly bothered about the random aspect of the testing, which is done, he says "without any probable cause." My question is, if he's unhappy with random testing, which type would he prefer? Essentially, your options for answering that question are a) none at all, b) before and/or after fights, or c) only when there is "probable cause." Which would be what, exactly? Having traps that come out of your ears?

Random testing is the only type that works. It works because it instills a constant fear of being caught into anyone currently using banned substances. To anyone not using them, it's merely an inconvenience.

As soon as you apply for a license to fight professionally in the state of Nevada, you are essentially agreeing to take a random drug test. If you don't want to do it, that's fine. Don't apply for the license. Or, when they ask you for a urine sample, just refuse. They're not going to send you to Guantanamo Bay for it. You just won't be allowed to fight professionally in Nevada, which is not a guaranteed right in the first place.

Equating random drug testing in sports with "oppressive government tactic[s]" only serves to make you sound like an alarmist while at the same time cheapening real accusations of oppressive government tactics, like warrantless wire-tapping. This is a question of how to make our sport as fair and legitimate and clean as possible, not a question of civil rights.