Paulo Costa says USADA and the New York State Athletic Commission are on his “blacklist”

Paulo Costa is not a fan of the New York State Athletic Commission and USADA and says he won’t be fighting in New York anytime soon.

Back at UFC 212 and 217, Costa got in trouble by the commission and USADA as his doctor gave him an IV to help him after his weight cut. The doctor was suspended and  fined, which Costa believes was the wrong decision.

“The New York commission, along with USADA, are on my blacklist. [The] same thing that Khabib [Nurmagomedov] does not fight in Las Vegas for the commission there, that of New York is on my blacklist,” Costa said to AG Fight. “Either they give me back what I paid or I don’t fight there.”

Although the doctor is suspended by USADA, Paulo Costa reveals he still uses him. He says Dr. Lucas Penchel did nothing wrong so he will still remain by his side.

“Dr. Lucas Penchel knows everything, I call him a magician. But USADA has an important and fundamental role for sport, which is to regulate the use of doping and which I really support so much,” he said. “They did so much good and made the sport respected. But at the same time, they want to show service and end up exaggerating and punishing people who don’t deserve it. The UFC puts a lot of money in USADA. Sometimes they go overboard. [They] look for a horn on a horse’s head, seeking to punish people who have nothing to do.

“Dr. Lucas did nothing wrong and did not refuse to be an ethical and responsible person like him. I had a dehydration problem. I was on the verge of not being able to fight, with stomach pains and everything,” Costa continued. “He helped us with the medical prescription and a serum in the allowed amount. In his ethics as a doctor of not denying care to me he prescribed serum to help me get rid of that pain under USADA rules. But we had a problem with USADA to prove it. Then USADA ended up sanctioning this punishment. But it doesn’t affect his profession in any way, he continues to assist me, being my doctor.”

Paulo Costa is coming off a decision win over Yoel Romero back at UFC 241. It was expected he would challenge Israel Adesanya for the belt in March but suffered a bicep injury. When the UFC returns to normalcy he should get the title shot he has desired.

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This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 4/22/2020.