Opinion: No Excuse For Robert Drysdale’s Elevated Testosterone Level
By Michael Hatamoto
BJJ superstar Robert Drysdale, who is building his MMA career slowly but surely, won’t be able to make his UFC debut at UFC 167 next month. Drysdale was supposed to meet Cody Donovan on the preliminary card on pay-per-view.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) fighter and coach, Robert Drysdale, will not receive medical clearance from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, according to media reports.
There was an issue following an out-of-competition drug test, with the BJJ specialist testing for an elevated testosterone-to-epitestosterone (T/E) ratio. Drysdale returned a 19.4:1 T/E ratio, which is significantly higher than the NSAC 6/1 acceptable ratio.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) uses a 4:1 ratio threshold before athletes are punished for elevated levels.
Prior to his scheduled UFC 163 appearance, Drysdale applied for medical clearance from the athletic commission. It was his first request and Drysdale reported he didn’t use banned performance-enhancing drugs – and had no previous positive drug tests.
His submitted blood sample had a testosterone level within state limits, and an anti-aging clinic reported weekly testosterone injections for a medical issue. He was not granted a TUE exemption and later pulled out of the fight, citing a staph infection.
There needs to be a serious discussion among fight promotions and athletic commissions to discuss the use of TRT in professional boxing and MMA.
Meanwhile, it’s a shame to hear another fight has to be put on the backburner due to a doping-related issue. I wonder if we’ll see Drysdale in the UFC octagon anytime in the near future, because his job very well could be at risk.