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4.11.16
Kimbo Slice (Kevin Ferguson) tested positive for two different anabolic steroids during his most recent bout against Dada 5000 (Dhafir Harris) at Bellator 149. Nonetheless, Ferguson offers not apologies for steroid use in mixed martial arts (MMA). Ferguson believes that MMA athletes, particularly older athletes, deserve the opportunity to use “a little extra vitamins”.
Ferguson stopped short of explicitly admitting to the use of steroids. He tested positive for testosterone and nandrolone (Deca Durabolin) but suggested that the failed drug test may have been the result of a cross-contamination between his urine sample and that of Ken Shamrock. (Shamrock fought in a separate bout and tested positive for the same two anabolic steroids at Bellator 149).
"Maybe the guy (from the laboratory) used the same glove from Ken's shit and touched my shit, I don't know," Slice suggested.
Regardless of whether or not he used steroids, Ferguson still thinks the ban on steroids in MMA is unnecessary. Ferguson shared his opinion of PED use in competitive sports during a recent interview with Ground and Pound TV.
According to Ferguson, professional athletes are “entertainers” first and foremost who place extreme demands on their bodies. Competing at such a level requires supraphysiologic levels of testosterone and other pharmacological assistance.
“We’re fighters man, we’re a little bit older than normal, we’re on a professional level of entertainment,” Ferguson explained. “You gotta look at athletes, like really professional athletes, and officers, and fire fighters, who really put their bodies and themselves through what’s not the norm. Like, the average guy would be at the desk or at the TV for example, his testosterone levels don’t need to be that high, because he’s just chilling at his job. But when you’re working a job, when you’re an entertainer, when you put your body through some serious workout, I think your levels should be a little bit above normal, because you gotta be able to compete on a professional level.”
Ferguson believes the anti-doping trends towards penalizing athletes should be abandoned and replaced with threshold testing.
“I don’t think the commissioners should really blackball fighters for having to use a little extra vitamins to perform. ‘Cause we’re entertainers. We perform on a high level. We put our body through some extreme workout to entertain the public and the media/
“The commissioners should sit down and come to an agreement on what levels should be okay. You understand where I’m coming from? The levels should be okay for professional entertainers on that level. You know, not so much like some guy who’s doing this for a living. We’re not those guys. We’re just performing for a certain time. So yes, our levels should be just a little bit above normal. That should be okay in the professional world.”
Ferguson is not the first athlete to espouse such a point of view. But he may likely be the first MMA athlete to provide an alternative approach to monitoring doping in combat sports.
Kimbo Slice (Kevin Ferguson) tested positive for two different anabolic steroids during his most recent bout against Dada 5000 (Dhafir Harris) at Bellator 149. Nonetheless, Ferguson offers not apologies for steroid use in mixed martial arts (MMA). Ferguson believes that MMA athletes, particularly older athletes, deserve the opportunity to use “a little extra vitamins”.
Ferguson stopped short of explicitly admitting to the use of steroids. He tested positive for testosterone and nandrolone (Deca Durabolin) but suggested that the failed drug test may have been the result of a cross-contamination between his urine sample and that of Ken Shamrock. (Shamrock fought in a separate bout and tested positive for the same two anabolic steroids at Bellator 149).
"Maybe the guy (from the laboratory) used the same glove from Ken's shit and touched my shit, I don't know," Slice suggested.
Regardless of whether or not he used steroids, Ferguson still thinks the ban on steroids in MMA is unnecessary. Ferguson shared his opinion of PED use in competitive sports during a recent interview with Ground and Pound TV.
According to Ferguson, professional athletes are “entertainers” first and foremost who place extreme demands on their bodies. Competing at such a level requires supraphysiologic levels of testosterone and other pharmacological assistance.
“We’re fighters man, we’re a little bit older than normal, we’re on a professional level of entertainment,” Ferguson explained. “You gotta look at athletes, like really professional athletes, and officers, and fire fighters, who really put their bodies and themselves through what’s not the norm. Like, the average guy would be at the desk or at the TV for example, his testosterone levels don’t need to be that high, because he’s just chilling at his job. But when you’re working a job, when you’re an entertainer, when you put your body through some serious workout, I think your levels should be a little bit above normal, because you gotta be able to compete on a professional level.”
Ferguson believes the anti-doping trends towards penalizing athletes should be abandoned and replaced with threshold testing.
“I don’t think the commissioners should really blackball fighters for having to use a little extra vitamins to perform. ‘Cause we’re entertainers. We perform on a high level. We put our body through some extreme workout to entertain the public and the media/
“The commissioners should sit down and come to an agreement on what levels should be okay. You understand where I’m coming from? The levels should be okay for professional entertainers on that level. You know, not so much like some guy who’s doing this for a living. We’re not those guys. We’re just performing for a certain time. So yes, our levels should be just a little bit above normal. That should be okay in the professional world.”
Ferguson is not the first athlete to espouse such a point of view. But he may likely be the first MMA athlete to provide an alternative approach to monitoring doping in combat sports.
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