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08th Sep 2016

Nate Diaz cleared of taking cannabis by NSAC but could still face drugs ban

We're still waiting on the Usada results.

Patrick McCarry

Nate Diaz may have claimed, before UFC 196 and 202, that ‘everyone’s on steroids’ but the Nevada State Athletic Commission and its testing system shows otherwise.

According to Canadian lawyer Erik Magraken, NSAC have confirmed that both Diaz and Conor McGregor tested clean for August’s UFC 202 event.

Furthermore, MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani has been informed that the NSAC will not pursue Diaz for lighting  up a vape pen of CBD oil during the media scrum not long after losing to McGregor.

Diaz told reporters the oil ‘helps with the healing process and inflammation’ and remarked that his piss is loaded with cannabis, not steroids. Cannabinoids are banned in-competition substances by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Usada – the UFC’s partner in drug-testing of athletes – uses Wada’s prohibited list.

According to Usada, ‘in-competition’ means six hours before and after a fight so Diaz lighting up in front of the media could still get him sanctioned.

Diaz should know by the end of this month whether his wrist will be slapped for his actions or if he faces a ban.

His older brother, Nick Diaz, was banned for five years by Usada after testing positive for marijuana but that was reduced to 18 months and he eventually only ended up serving little under a year.

He is now free to resume his UFC career but has yet to be booked for a fight as he is serving a technical suspension for unpaid fines.