Ultimate Fighting Championship star Nick Diaz has been suspended five years for marijuana use, a decision critics are calling “callous, idiotic and sickening.”
Joe Rogan, a UFC announcer, said the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s decision is, “an irresponsible abuse of power.”
Diaz tested positive for having marijuana in his system after a UFC fight in January, the third time he failed a test in the state of Nevada. Along with the five-year ban, Diaz was handed a $165,000 fine, and is on the line to pay the state’s legal costs.
The 32-year-old Diaz has a medical marijuana licence in his home state of California, but it’s considered a banned substance in competitions by athletic commissions.
“Unless there’s scientific proof that marijuana is a performance enhancing drug that gives an unfair advantage, it should not be restricted.” Rogan said on Twitter.
Watch Diaz’s reaction to the decision here.
Diaz’s lawyer Lucas Middlebrook said he plans to appeal the decision.