Kelvin Gastelum is happy the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency rulebook has been updated.
The middleweight contender is glad to see the UFC’s anti-doping partner, along with the Nevada Athletic Commission, changed their stance on penalizing fighters for testing positive for marijuana. Earlier this year, both USADA and the NAC announced they would no longer penalize fighters for testing positive for cannabis and its naturally occurring cannabinoid compounds.
For many years, marijuana was considered a banned substance, and its detection would often lead to suspensions and the overturning of fight results.
“Everybody knows the use (of marijuana) is not something that’s an advantage; if anything I think it’s the contrary,” Gastelum told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I think someone that uses marijuana is actually in a way harming themselves, but it also helps athletes like me relax – just relax the muscles and the nerves – and it has many advantages, but in other forms.
“But for athletes to be compare to a PED, I don’t think it’s necessary to label it under a PED like steroids or testosterone. I just don’t see it that way.”
Gastelum, who returns to the octagon in the main event of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 29 against Jared Cannonier, was one of the many fighters affected by the penalization of marijuana. He’s tested positive twice during his eight-year career with the UFC.
The first time, the violation got him pulled from a bout against Anderson Silva in 2017, suspended for 90 days, and had his TKO win over Vitor Belfort overturned to a no contest.
The second time Gastelum tested positive for marijuana, he was suspended from competition for nine months, but it was later reduced to five after Gastelum’s successful completion of a drug treatment program.
“I don’t know (why) that rule has been there for a long time,” Gastelum said. “Obviously there’s a stigma and a certain thought when it comes down to that. I think today there’s still many people who see it in a negative way.”
“(My family) didn’t know. Obviously my mom is Mexican, and she’s sometimes very antiquated in her thoughts, so she was very upset. All my friends who have Hispanic moms also went through the same.”
The 29-year-old said he doesn’t use marijuana as he nears his fights but still finds it to be a relief to not have to worry about having his career potentially hindered over a positive cannabis test.
“Yeah, of course, it’s one less worry that I need to have in my head,” Gastelum said. “But regardless, during the week of the fight, I’m not consuming. Before the fight, I’m not doing it just to keep my mind clear and not up in the clouds.”
Kelvin Gastelum glad USADA no longer penalizes marijuana: ‘Not something that’s an advantage’