UFC notified of potential Anti-Doping Policy violation involving Nick Diaz

Would be an awful shame were he to receive another ban for being so careless.

The UFC has been notified that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency [USADA] has informed Nick Diaz of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation. Diaz had been fined $100,000 and banned from fighting for 18 months after a failed drug test [marijuana] in 2015. After reaching an agreement with the Nevada Athletic Commission about that fine, he was cleared to fight at the turn of the year but has yet to fight in the UFC. There has been no test failure in this instance, rather the possible violation is in regard to Diaz not notifying USADA testers where he would be on certain dates. The full statement released by the UFC reads:

'The UFC has been notified that USADA has informed Nick Diaz of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from Diaz’s alleged accumulation of three Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period. 'Diaz, like all other UFC athletes, is enrolled in USADA’s UFC Registered Testing Pool and required to file accurate Whereabouts information in order to be located for out-of-competition, no-notice testing. 'USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjudication of Diaz’s case, who has been provisionally suspended pending the final resolution of this matter. 'Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, there is a full and fair legal process that is afforded to all athletes before any sanctions are imposed. Additional information will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.'

As per UFC policy, first-time offenders can be suspended anywhere from six months to two years for three Whereabouts Failures in a 12-month period. Diaz has not fought in the promotion since he faced Anderson Silva in January 2015.