Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports reports that Jon Jones has entered a drug treatment facility for what may be an addiction to cocaine. Jones failed a Nevada State Athletic Commission drug test on December 4th testing positive for benzoylecgonine which is the main metabolite in cocaine.
Clearly, Jones’ entrance into drug treatment confirms that the positive drug test was a result of cocaine use. Per Iole’s report, the Nevada commission follows WADA and benzoylecgonine is not banned out of competition. Thus, it appears that the commission could not stop Jones from fighting at UFC 182.
The UFC has issued a statement on Jon Jones:
“We support UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones’ decision to enter a drug treatment facility to address his recent issue. While we are disappointed in the failed test, we applaud him for making this decision to enter a drug treatment facility. Jon is a strong, courageous fighter inside the Octagon, and we expect him to fight this issue with the same poise and diligence. We commend him on his decision, and look forward to him emerging from this program a better man as a result.”
Dana White issued his own statement:
“I am proud of Jon Jones for making the decision to enter a drug treatment facility. I’m confident that he’ll emerge from this program like the champion he truly is.”
Payout Perspective:
This news puts a damper on UFC 182 and the momentum the company had in the new year. Certainly, Reebok may be concerned with Jones after it signed him to an individual sponsorship deal. There were likely other sponsors outside of the Octagon that might have been options for Jones which are likely out.
Jones was the face of the UFC and arguably the greatest fighter of all time. Now, his image is tarnished…for now. There are a lot of instances of fighters coming back from drug issues as outlined by Bad Left Hook’s Scott Christ. But there has not been anyone as big a star in his sport as Jonesthat had to enter rehab at the pinnacle of his career. At a time when there is concern about UFC business, Jones was the leading face of the company. The UFC will not be able to lean on him now.
Also for the UFC will be questions as to whether Jones’ conduct violated the UFC Code of Conduct Policy.
Another issue is the Nevada State Athletic Commission. How was his positive drug test kept confidential until now? Has Jones finished his community service from the media day brawl punishment? If not, will they revisit his community service hours now? He’s talked to kids about choices and now the news of his cocaine use is out. Highly unlikely he can continue to talk to kids and serve as a role model at this point. If he does make it out of rehab and remains clean, he can serve as a positive story but not right now.
Obviously, Jones’ admittance into drug rehab also brings up the old question of a UFC drug policy. This is something that the UFC seemed to dismiss during UFC 182 fight week.
Best of luck to JJ! thats a tough road to be on and recovery is even tougher. lets not judge this guy to harshly, there are many athletes that battle this demon! My question is how the hell is this drug not banned?? This makes no sense to me!! WTF is wrong with the WADA! this is absurd!!
Saldasmellyqueef!
Ahahahahahahaha.
Ahahahahahaha.
Ahahahaha.
🙂
Look what a moron D is!!!
Sal sold I the coke
Look what a smelly turd Sal is.
More idiots flooding the blog with nothing to say, nothing whatsoever to back up any of their crap. Dana must be a desperate dude paying retards to post. 2015 looks like a long hard year of lies, lies and more lies from Dana, his paid parade of losers and the UFC. Wait till Diaz pops a test and spider gets hurt before the next ppv bahahahha
I wish Jones the best. He had a hell of a fight on Saturday. I actually was rooting for and picking cormier. Jones looked awesome. I hope they dont crucify this guy for this. Cocaine while wrong isnt a performance enhancer unless you take it 5 minutes before a fight.
Sal has never had anything to say other than his rants of incoherence. He smells like shit and hasn’t changed his diapers in months.
More bad news for the ufc….hahahahaha….is this the reason the ufc wont do independent drug testing? hahaha
Tops, I know you are retarded, but even you have to realize the commission caught Jones. That means this couldn’t be the reason they won’t do independent drug testing. If anything it would give validity to the commission tests working.
haha you can’t make this shit up. If there wasn’t bad news about the UFC there wouldn’t be any real news. The only good news is the propaganda bullshit from Dana and co. And only retards fall for that bullshit haha
Sal smells like some old crusty boxing promoter that spreads boxing propaganda non stop.
He looked very thin in this fight. There was camera angles when against the cage where he looked much thinner. Also how does he go from struggling to make 205 to claiming he can now easily make 205 and maybe make 185 if he wanted to and someone claim Coke isn’t possibly helping him? Seems to me not only can it control weight issues but also possible be used to train harder and longer as it is an upper and would increase energy levels.
Mike Tyson did coke for his entire career. It’s a recreational drug and personal choice if someone wants to use it out of competition. The commission shouldn’t give a damn, though obviously the UFC and Jones’ sponsors will be concerned.
Only waif-like models who are too lazy to work out use cocaine to lose weight. Jones may have looked thin but he was all muscle. You don’t get that way with cocaine; that’s hard work and nutrition.
This only proves Pat Healy shouldn’t have been penalized the way he was, if at all.
Jon Jones is not in rehab anymore and his stint in the rehab program lasted just one night. That’s according to his mother, who was interviewed by a local news station in New York. It’s at the end of this article: http://www.wbng.com/news/local/EXCLUSIVE-Jon-Jones-mother-glad-he-tested-positive-for-cocaine-288349161.html
Great catch Terrence!