The UFC today announced the hiring of a prominent anti-doping figure as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure clean competition within the promotion’s octagon. Former Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) investigator Jeff Novitzky, who came to national prominence through his role in the BALCO doping scandal that rocked Major League Baseball, joins the UFC as vice president of athlete health and performance. “Novitzky will spearhead the development of the organization’s clean initiative education program designed to ensure that every athlete competes with natural ability on an even playing field,” a press release stated. The announcement stated Novitkzy will oversee the promotion’s investment in “state-of-the-art sports science studies,” as well as “further develop its out-of-competition (performance-enhancing drug) testing policy and enrich its education and prevention programs.” Two months ago, UFC executives announced plans to ramp up drug testing for the 500-plus fighters on its roster while advocating stiffer penalties for drug offenders and bankrolling additional testing by state athletic commissions, as well as aligning with a third-party testing firm that will conduct out-of-competition testing. Although details on the program’s execution were not fully available – because the promotion needed to revise internal polices and contracts to make the program legally feasible – a target date of July 1 was planned for its implementation
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UFC hires BALCO investigator Jeff Novitzky for ‘clean initiative education program’ – MMA Junkie