NSAC Suspends Nick Diaz for 5 Years

Emmanuel Wonder

September 20, 2015

The Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Nick Diaz five years for a failed marijuana test in connection to his UFC 183 fight against Anderson Silva. In addition, it fined him 33 percent of his $500,000 purse. The punishments have gone up with each infraction, after this his third failed marijuana test.

The NSAC, as usual, took a conservative, holier-than-thou stance that would have gone over well in the Reagan era, but just makes them look completely out of touch with reality in 2015. Marijuana is not a performance enhancing drug, and regardless of when Diaz used it, it didn’t improve his fighting ability. Commissioner Pat Lundvall, who was the most critical of Diaz and even wanted a lifetime ban, tried claiming that this was about more than marijuana. Considering the failed drug test was the only reason Diaz was appearing before the commission, the hearing was, in fact, just about marijuana.

Unfortunately once the fighter is in front of the commission, the actual issue at hand becomes secondary to the behavior of the fighter, in front of that same commission. Those that are respectful, remorseful, and open (or at least pretend to be) get treated like pals. Those that are openly defiant, Diaz’ specialty, get lectured on what they’ve done wrong. Diaz had to plead the fifth amendment over 30 times just because Lundvall wouldn’t allow him to issue a blanket plea and instead made him plead it for each individual question. Instead of saving time and getting on with the hearing, Lundvall threw her weight around just to add insult to injury.

The most ironic part of this farce is how the NSAC single-handedly turned Diaz into a victim with its over-the-top punishment. This was Diaz’ third failed test and even those who don’t think his marijuana smoking is a big deal realize that he repeatedly broke the rules. Had the commission simply given Diaz a professional hearing and suspended him a reasonable amount no one would have raised an eyebrow. Instead, they took it to the extreme and made a martyr out of him.