According to an email sent to fighters obtained by MMA Junkie, the UFC has implemented a protocol to help with fighter and coaches safety at the upcoming cards in Jacksonville, Florida.
These measures include that only UFC staff members, on-card fighters and their licensed corner people will be allowed on site. This means that no managers, friends or family can attend. There will be mandatory medical screenings and a series of daily tests that all will be required throughout the stay at the hotel. Also, of note, fighters will be provided individual workout rooms and a personal sauna. Unlike the scenes from Embeddeds where fighters share workout rooms and mats, this will not be happening according to the protocol. While no details came out of the information supplied by MMA Junkie, the information was meant to provide some assurance for fighters and coaches that precautions are being made.
The UFC has posted its statement for the upcoming events on its web site:
HEALTH AND SAFETY STATEMENT
Health and safety have long been a priority for UFC and we have set the standards for our industry. In light of the current circumstances, we plan to implement further enhanced safety measures as we return to producing live events.
UFC events scheduled for May 9, May 13, and May 16 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida will be fully sanctioned by the Florida State Boxing Commission and will comply with all of the regulations governing professional MMA events. We have worked closely with our medical staff and state and local officials, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, and Florida State Boxing Commission Executive Director Patrick Cunningham, to ensure the appropriate health and safety protocols are in place.
Pursuant to a request from the Florida State Boxing Commission, these events will be closed to the public and will be produced with only essential personnel in attendance. All athletes and staff will be required to adhere to a number of precautionary measures, such as participating in advanced medical screenings and temperature checks and following social distancing guidelines.
On behalf of the fans, athletes, and employees, UFC thanks Governor Ron DeSantis, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, Florida State Boxing Commission Executive Director Patrick Cunningham, and our media partners, including ESPN and ESPN+, for their support as we resume our events.
However, Ben Fowlkes of The Athletic raised several questions and concerns that were not readily addressed in the information known by the media. One of the more eye raising statements made by the Florida State Boxing Commission obtained by Fowlkes was that “standard commission safety precautions,” would be in place for the three UFC events starting next Saturday.
At this time, it would seem that Florida would want more than standard safety precautions especially for an event like mixed martial arts. Moreover, a follow-up asking if fighters would be tested for COVID-19 went unanswered. While the Commission might be busy at this point, silence to that question is deafening. Either, they do not know the answer to that question and/or are not testing. Either conclusion would be alarming.
The biggest concerns surrounding these events as detailed in the article are the logistics of ensuring safety for all involved including testing, how to handle housing of coaches and UFC staff, who will be staffing the events, what happens after the event and what happens in the event someone contracts COVID-19.
Payout Perspective:
Of course, this could have been handled much better by the UFC and perhaps the Florida State Boxing Commission if they would have been much more transparent in their communication as to what is happening, how it is happening and the measures that will occur in the worst-case scenario. We may give some benefit of the doubt to the uncertainty of the time as to planning precautions. Then again, the promotion was set to have an event last month. Weren’t safety measures in place at the time?
While I am like most that want to see live fighting once again, I would feel awful if anyone were to fall ill as a result of this event.
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