Chael Sonnen Is Still A Part Of The USADA’s Whereabouts Program

In an interview with the Three Amigos podcast, Chael Sonnen revealed that he’s still part of the USADA’s whereabouts program but he’s not sure if he has to anymore. He recently signed up to compete in Bellator, leaving the UFC. Fighters only have to be part of the program if they have an active UFC contract.

The policy states: “Any Athlete, Athlete Support Personnel, or other Person who commits an AntiDoping Policy Violation while subject to this Policy shall remain subject to this Policy for purposes of results management and discipline after the relationship which originally gave rise to UFC’s or USADA’s authority has ceased. If an athlete no longer meets the requirements to be included in the RTP, or has provided written notification of their retirement to the UFC, he or she will be notified of their removal from the RTP and the end of their need to provide 26 whereabouts information. Once notified of their inclusion, Athletes remain in the UFC RTP until they receive written notice from USADA that they have been removed from the UFC RTP.”

Sonnen said: “I don’t think I have any responsibilities with USADA, but I can’t tell you ‘No,’ and here’s why: My understanding is that the USADA deal is just a policy with the UFC, so if you’re not under contract with the UFC, you’re not within the reach of USADA.

With that said, when I jumped into the testing pool, that was a legally binding agreement with a separate entity from the UFC, an entity known as USADA. Even though I ended with the UFC, I am still legally under the contract I signed with USADA, and I still register every day. I have to do a whereabouts.

The whereabouts program is where you have to let USADA know where you are 24/7 so they can test you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, no matter what. If you go to a hotel somewhere, you have to log into the system to let them know what room you’re in. You have to let them know where you are. If they show up to where you say you are, and you’re not there, that’s called a miss, and if you get 3 of those it’s an automatic fail. There are guys who have missed spots on Olympic teams just for not updating their whereabouts.

I do that every single day, I never miss, and USADA responds to me every single day. I have wondered, is that a glitch in the system and they just haven’t taken me out, or do I have to continue to do this and they could show up at any point? I don’t know the answer to that.

My understanding is if you’re not with the UFC, you’re not with USADA. However, they are separate entities, and I did sign a legally binding form to be in the testing pool, so I continue to update it, and they continue to respond, so I don’t know the answer to that question. I do not think I am under USADA, however, I do continue to fill it out, because I don’t want to find out I am, and then get a miss.”

It’s possible that Sonnen will be completely free of the program once his last drug test results have been completed. The policy handbook stated that fighters will be notified when they are no longer part of it, so he’s probably right about still being involved. Sonnen’s joked several times about possibly failing tests after coming out of retirement, but he hasn’t heard anything that says if he actually failed anything.

He added: “Here’s my understanding with USADA, and I’ve only had a couple of run ins with them. My time was limited because I failed right out of the gate and went on suspension. When I came back into the pool I was tested I believe four times. My experience with USADA was this – no news is good news. I don’t think you get a report card for a pass. I believe you only get it for a fail. I never heard back from USADA. I think it can take anywhere from nine to thirty days, and I tested back in June, so I didn’t have any USADA issues, but at the same time I can’t tell you that I have a sheet from them saying ‘congratulations, you’ve passed.’”

Finally, he was asked if he has discussed what would happen if he failed a USADA test while under contract with Bellator. He replied: “I didn’t discuss what would happen if I failed a USADA test with Bellator, but I can tell you without even having a conversation that if I failed a drug test, I would be out. I would be out everywhere. I would be done at ESPN, everywhere. There’s no slack left in the old Chael leash on that one. I don’t know what kind of power USADA have, but I believe if I failed, that would extend [to Bellator]. I’m trying to fight in the state of California, and I think that (California State Athletic Commissioner) Andy Foster would look at that and just say, “You’re out.” I don’t know what the rule would be on that, and there was no discussion, but I think in fairness, or just being objective people, yeah, that would have to be game over for me.