The speculation can now end. Nevada State Athletic Commissioner Keith Kizer has emailed the media to confirm that Nick Diaz tested positive for a drug of abuse after his UFC 143 loss to Carlos Condit:
From: Keith Kizer
Date: Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 4:16 PM
Subject: UFC 143 – steroid/drug testsThe following athletes were tested: Nick Diaz, Carlos Condit, Fabricio Werdum, Josh Koscheck, Renan Barao, Ed Herman, Dustin Poirier, Max Hollaway, Matt Riddle, Henry Martinez, Edwin Figueroa, Alex Caceres, Matt Brown, Chris Cope, Rafael Natal, Michael Kuiper, Stephen Thompson and Dan Stittgen. All results received thus far have been negative, except Mr. Diaz tested positive for marijuana metabolites. A complaint for disciplinary action against Mr. Diaz has been filed.
This is bad news for Diaz, bad news for the UFC, and bad news for the fans.
Kevin Iole has more:
Diaz isn’t the first fighter to test positive for marijuana recently. Matt Vanda appeared before the Nevada commission Jan. 31 after a second positive test for marijuana. He had initially been suspended for 90 days by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board after marijuana was discovered in his system following a Nov. 12, 2010, bout against Ossie Duran.
Marijuana was again found in Vanda’s system following a Dec. 16, 2011, loss to Marco Antonio Rubio in Las Vegas and on Jan. 31 the Nevada commission fined Vanda 40 percent of his $11,000 purse and suspended him for a year.
If Diaz is fined 40 percent of his purse, it would cost him $80,000 of the $200,000 he earned in the unanimous decision loss to Condit last Saturday for the UFC interim welterweight title.
More on this story from Bloody Elbow:
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