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Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. People are mad at Dana White and the UFC for the way they are going about running their sport in the midst of the current pandemic.
This time it’s over the recent revelation that came out of an interview UFC COO Lawrence Epstein with Sports Business Daily on Wednesday about the hundreds of coronavirus tests the UFC will be administering over the next nine days as they stage three events without fans, including UFC 249.
“In the early days of this epidemic, the testing capacity had to be focused exclusively on first responders, healthcare works and people who were sick,” said Epstein. “Now with testing capacity expanding, many of these tests that organizations like ours are getting access don’t impact that testing.”
That statement, rightfully, has raised a few eyebrows. However, it was the fact that he also stated the promotion will administer around 1,200 tests, 600+ antigen tests and 600+ antibody tests, just to put on the three events that really got people steamed.
“We’ve thought this through with health and safety being our No. 1 priority,” Epstein added. “We put together a plan that we think makes a lot of sense.”
While the UFC has already released what health and safety measures they will be taking, like cutting the number of staff from around 300 in half and having the announcers sit at separate tables, the number of coronavirus tests being used up on people who are not symptomatic seems to many to be a bit misguided.
People with symptoms are not able to get tests because the symptoms are not severe enough. This is leading to additional, untracked spread. How is this a good use of critical health resources?
— Gavin (@HockeyandBeers) May 7, 2020
Nice, now if only everyone had access to them we could get stuff going quicker.
— JV (@InfestedJoker) May 7, 2020
This is such a waste of tests. Vast majority of Americans can’t get tested, especially those who truly need them. Good job UFC!
— Michael Chang (@mw_chang) May 7, 2020
They do know that many Floridians who are sick still can’t get tested right?
— Mike (@FLguy7) May 6, 2020
Funny how first responders can’t get tested for coronavirus but Dana White gets 1200.
— WTF Everyday (@Groucho_Manx) May 7, 2020
So the UFC is taking #COVIDー19 tests away from people who truly need them and might need them when there’s shortage in our country and being doled out to fighters, their teams and the staffs of the UFC and ESPN. And no one is saying a word about it? 🤦♂️ @lthomasnews https://t.co/SNfVupoQxU
— Steven Muehlhausen (@SMuehlhausenJr) May 3, 2020
Good times…
ONLY ON ESPN+: UFC 249 – Ferguson vs Gaethje
Saturday 5/9/20 10:00 PM/ET
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