Georges St-Pierre’s acclaimed trainer Firas Zahabi believes if the UFC welterweight champion subscribed to Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) testing it would send a huge message to the entire sport of mixed martial arts.
In MMA, like in nearly every professional sport, every once in a while an athlete will test positive for a performance-enhancing substance, whether it be a type of steroid or high levels of testosterone.
Zahabi believes pre-fight tests like the ones VADA do can be good for the sport.
“If Georges is champion and he’s clean, nobody has any excuses,” Zahabi told UFC Central Radio Thursday night on Sportsnet 590 The Fan.
“I don’t think he would have any issue (with VADA testing).”
In the past, opponents of GSP have accused the Canadian of being on performance enhancing drugs, though the only thing St-Pierre has ever tested positive for is talent.
Former No. 1 contender Josh Koscheck did it leading up to his UFC 124 championship bout with GSP, and Nick Diaz told Tim & Sid he thought GSP was “on plenty of steroids” just days before their UFC 158 main event.
“Koscheck once called him out on it and Georges said ‘yes’ (to voluntary drug tests) and he was more than happy to do it and they never went through with it because Koscheck took back his accusations,” Zahabi said.
“I know Georges is more than willing to do it.”
Zahabi said he understands why some fighters may not want to agree to the tests, but added that the benefits outweigh any inconvenience.
“Honestly if the other guy is doing it there’s no reason why you wouldn’t want to do it,” Zahabi said.
“The only reason they don’t like doing it, mostly, is because they’re on something or it’s inconvenient. But if it’s convenient for both then let’s do it. It’s fair.”
Zahabi added that he’s open to all of his fighters participating in these types of tests.
In fact, one of his star fighters, welterweight Rory MacDonald, did so recently.
Prior to his fight last year with BJ Penn — who subsequently is another fighter that has accused GSP of cheating in the past — MacDonald and his opponent agreed to subscribe to VADA for random drug tests leading up to their bout.
Both men passed their tests.
“I’m more than happy to have any of my guys do it,” explained Zahabi, who says he’s never had any experience with performance-enhancing drugs but had heard crazy stories about what guys will do to get an upper hand.
“I think (more frequent testing) would be good for the sport; I think it would clean up the sport.
“The fans, they’re going to get to see two guys that are having a fair fight and I think people are going to enjoy that more.”
GSP will defend his title against Johny Hendricks Nov. 16 in Las Vegas. To date, no VADA testing for this bout has been discussed by either St-Pierre or Hendricks.
