UFC responds to Le’s demand for apology

There is more fallout from the Cung Le suspension and subsequent rescission as both Le and the UFC have made statements about what has transpired.

Le has demanded an apology from the UFC for what it has done to his name and reputation.  In a Facebook post from his representatives, Le and his management offered statements about the situation:

Le:   “I am extremely happy with the UFC’s decision to rescind my suspension. I believe the issues raised in regards to the testing procedures as well as the manner in which the results were determined by the UFC clearly support my assertion that I did not use any performance enhancing drugs. I am also happy to take away the fact that the UFC has decided to make the proper changes in their testing procedures which will now ensure that no athlete will ever have to endure the same hardship. While I feel vindicated in this matter, the UFC’s press release does little in the way of an apology of which I believe I am rightly owed after unfairly enduring the public’s scrutiny. Their decision to announce me as a user of performance enhancing drugs with little thought to the accuracy of the testing or proper procedures has caused my family and I great pain; that we have now come to know was completely unnecessary had the proper care been taken to ensure my test results were in fact valid proof of impropriety.”

AMR:  The evidence of my client’s innocence was overwhelming in this instance and the UFC’s decision to forego any further action and exonerate him is proof positive of that. We hope that my client will not now forever be associated with illegal doping especially now that he has been completely cleared of any wrongdoing. Regardless of the UFC’s decision, we are left to wonder if this whole matter should have ever happened at all but we do now know several things for certain: 1) my client did not take any performance enhancing drugs, 2) we questioned the propriety of the testing procedures before the UFC announced their initial suspension; 3) sports doping tests should be left to impartial third party experts, and 4) the UFC should have confirmed and evaluated my client’s test results before dispensing discipline and making inaccurate statements that could permanently tarnish Cung’s previously pristine reputation.

The absence of a formal apology, in light of the recent “medical advice” the UFC received, which prompted them to lift his suspension, is outrageous. Moreover, the insinuation that my client will not be disciplined due to “the [mere] lack of conclusive laboratory results”, is a clear attempt to deflect responsibility and cloud my client’s innocence, when, in fact, the mistakes that were made resulted solely from the UFC’s reckless and premature actions and decisions.

The UFC’s Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Lawrence Epstein spoke with the L.A. Times about rescinding Le’s suspension.  Epstein stated that UFC did not offer an apology to Le because the act of the rescission was sufficient.  Although he stuck up for the testing in Macau, he did not concede that the UFC took any missteps in handling the drug testing for the event.  “There was nothing wrong with the test, it just wasn’t the right test,” said Epstein to the LA Times about its protocol for the event.

Payout Perspective:

Le’s demand for an apology is part sticking his chest out (figuratively) and also part reputation management.  As we alluded to in a previous post, the UFC statement does not apologize to Le and many may believe that while Le’s suspension was lifted, it was due to a technicality and did not address whether Le actually took illegal substances.   With the tests thrown out, Le now wants an apology from the UFC since he claims to not have ever taken illegal substances.  And perhaps he is owed one.  Epstein, who is a lawyer, did not think it necessary to apologize to Le.  And even with the comments to the LA Times, the UFC is trying to save face despite the inference that its drug policy is broken (or maybe never fully formed to be broken).  Epstein admits in the LAT article that the UFC is not in the “drug testing business,” yet they are the de facto regulator if there is not a governing body in the region.  Moreover, the UFC defamed Le based on the facts we know.

I did not expect the UFC to make a formal apology and while we may see the UFC and Le work together in the future, an apology may not be forthcoming any time soon.