UFC restrict travels on combat 7 days to ‘ensure the integrity’ of COVID-19 protocols
The UFC has tightened COVID-19 protocols to defend athletes from prospective COVID-19 publicity on battle week.
The fight marketing a short while ago executed new journey constraints to “ensure the integrity of UFC’s screening and protocols,” proscribing exactly where and how fighters and their teams can journey right after they get there in Las Vegas, the promotion’s residence and its foundation of operations because restarting its celebration schedule.
The new plan was very first unveiled by Twitter consumer Alex Scaffidi. MMA Battling verified it with two business veterans who depict UFC fighter and received the detect.
“To make sure the integrity of UFC’s [COVID-19] screening and quarantine protocols, no athlete or corner will be permitted to use any car not officially permitted or organized by UFC once the athlete or corner has checked in for Battle 7 days,” the discover states. “This involves individually owned cars, rental vehicles, a friend’s vehicle, or experience share automobiles, these kinds of as Uber or Lyft.
“This policy applies to ALL athletes and corners, which include individuals primarily based in Las Vegas, as properly as people based mostly exterior of Las Vegas.
“In addition, any athlete or corner who leaves the resort house without coordinating with UFC Celebration Functions, like post struggle, will not be permitted back into the lodge.
“If an athlete or corner wants transportation for any rationale in the course of Fight Week, such as to go to the marketplace, the UFC General performance Institute, or UFC APEX, they have to connect with [name redacted] with UFC Function Operations.
“Thank you in progress for your cooperation.”
Veteran UFC strawweight Tecia Torres spoke to reporters after UFC 256 about the constraints on fighters’ motion before the event at UFC APEX, the promotion’s dwell function facility. The shift will come as the country confronts a surge of COVID-19 circumstances that is led to a big uptick in fatalities and bacterial infections. Constructive COVID-19 circumstances have considerably altered many UFC struggle playing cards with quite a few fighters tests optimistic on struggle day.
In the past iteration of the UFC’s COVID-19 protocols, fighters arriving in Las Vegas were needed to quarantine in their hotel rooms until they been given the outcomes of their 1st COVID-19 test. Afterward, even so, they ended up authorized to go about regular combat 7 days proceedings, and there have been no particular restrictions on their motion in the time in between their very first damaging take a look at and a 2nd check administered following weigh-ins on Friday, which induced a different quarantine right until they were transported to the UFC APEX.
Prior to UFC 255, several fighters ended up seen at destinations around Las Vegas, increasing concerns of whether they could perhaps have been exposed to the virus, nevertheless COVID-19’s incubation interval may well have ruled out a good in the ultimate check with an normal of five times prior to the virus builds up to detectable concentrations.
UFC President Dana White has defended the promotion’s dealing with of safety more than the COVID-19 virus.
“This matter is f*ckin wacky and you do the finest you can,” he explained immediately after a fighter had multiple unfavorable assessments on battle week ahead of a constructive. “We’re undertaking everything the suitable way and, who understands with this thing? Nobody has been equipped to get this factor figured out however. We’ve been solid.”