California Stops TRT Use … For Now – CSAC Stopping Therapeutic Use Exemptions

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Zach Arnold of Fight Opinion, perhaps the best investigative reporter in the MMA media, tracked down an interesting story. The California State Athletic Commission has put an end to testosterone usage being allowed in California MMA for now.

You can read the changes here and Arnold’s work is first rate on the subject, as well.

Per the Article:

“[Santiago] said that until there is a statute/regulation on the books regarding testosterone that the commission should not be using an ‘underground’ policy of approving T usage. He argued that testosterone is considered a banned substance.

The end result is that fighters like Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen, and Frank Mir will not be allowed to use testosterone while fighting in California until a law is on the books that explicitly spells out approval for T usage…[T]he UFC will be furious about this development given how many guys they have fighting in California who love testosterone. Vitor Belfort’s sympathy plea for continued testosterone usage means he won’t be fighting in California any time soon…

Santiago’s position will now put UFC in an interesting dilemma — will they huff and bluff by backing away from running shows in California or will they accept the new reality on the ground? If UFC backs away from California, it will cost the commission’s budget big time. UFC wants to talk tough about testosterone usage now, so let’s see if they will back up their public talk by walking the walk with future California events.”

What does this mean? Right now anyone who fights with a TRT exemption, most famous being Chael Sonnen, Dan Henderson and Vitor Belfort, won’t be able to use it in California if booked on a card there. Right now look for the UFC to lobby Sacramento to get a law on the books to further clarify the situation; Dana White has spoken out against TRT in the past but the UFC will want to be able to use their whole roster in the state, as well.

If the UFC is truly taking a stand against TRT and wants it out of the sport then they should be trying to get this same measure passed in every state AC that matters and using California as a test case.