Nate Diaz could face a UFC anti-doping policy violation for vaping on the dais following Saturday's brutal fight against Conor McGregor at UFC 202. During the post-fight press conference, Diaz was asked what he was vaping to which he responded:
“It’s CBD,” Diaz said after his majority decision loss to Conor McGregor. “It helps with the healing process and inflammation, stuff like that. So you want to get these for before and after the fights, training. It’ll make your life a better place.”
CBD is short for cannabidiol oil, which is banned "in-competition" by the World Anti-Doping Agency Code over a certain threshold and USADA uses WADA’s prohibited substance list. "In-competition" is considered the six hours before and the six hours after a fight, and his admission to vaping CBD falls within that timeframe.
“I can confirm that USADA is aware of the situation and is currently gathering information in order to determine the next appropriate steps,” USADA spokesperson Ryan Madden told MMA Fighting in a statement.
Weed, including CBD, is considered a "specified substance" under the UFC anti-doping policy, and athletes violating the specified substance rule can be suspended for up to one year.
But the guy just got punched in the face roughly one zillion times over the weekend, can we maybe agree to cut him some slack and smoke his CBD in peace? It's not like he walked out of the octagon and stuck a needle full of HGH in his ass cheek, he just wanted to forget about the fact that both of his eyes were swollen shut. What's the harm in that?
[Via]