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Georges St. Pierre says he’s in support of Olympic-style drug testing

Josh Koscheck proposes blood tests for welterweight title fight, St. Pierre responds with ‘any time’

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  • Koscheck, St. Pierre on drug testing

Advocates for implementing Olympic-style drug testing into combat sports can say they have the support of one of the biggest names in MMA — UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre.

In an interview Monday, St. Pierre admitted his belief that performance-enhancing drugs are prevalent in MMA and added he's in favor of mandatory blood tests in combat sports.

"I stand for that more than anybody else," St. Pierre said. "I just hope it will happen soon because I know a lot of people cheat in this sport, and it's unacceptable. I am all for random blood testing. Nobody in the UFC agrees on that more than me."

St. Pierre declined to provide names of specific fighters using banned substances but was clear in his belief that some are getting away with it.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission currently requires fighters to undergo urine tests whereas the USADA Olympic-style method requires random blood tests be taken before and after an event.

The issue has taken center stage in boxing, as it was the main reason negotiations for a fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao broke down last December. Mayweather eventually accepted a fight with Shane Mosley where both fighters volunteered to undergo random blood tests.

The NSAC is scheduled to review its protocol on drug testing during a public meeting Wednesday and St. Pierre, for one, is hoping major changes are not far away.

"What I'm saying is, I just hope it's going to happen soon," St. Pierre said. "I don't know who is using it and I'm not going to say names, but I want it to happen.

"What makes a good fighter is a lot of things: genetics, style, skills, heart. But now, there's another factor that influences a fight and that's the team of doctors behind the fighter. This should not be an element that helps a fighter."

The issue was brought up when Josh Koscheck, fellow UFC welterweight and opposing coach to St. Pierre on the upcoming season of the reality series "The Ultimate Fighter," said he's heard from different sources that St. Pierre has used illegal substances.

The two fighters are in Las Vegas for the next six weeks to film the reality series and are scheduled to face one another in December.

"From what I've heard from other fighters in other camps, yeah, (St. Pierre) has done steroids," Koscheck said. "That's just speculation, but it's a possibility. The guy is pretty ripped all year."

Koscheck went on to say he wouldn't be against setting up Olympic-style drug testing for their December fight, although he didn't know how St. Pierre would react to that kind of proposal.

That's when St. Pierre made it clear he was up for it.

"I have no problem — any time he wants," St. Pierre said. "I'm not a coward and somebody that uses steroids is a cheater. I am not afraid of Josh Koscheck and I don't have to cheat to beat him."

Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or [email protected].

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