The White House responds to the ‘free Nick Diaz’ petition

The White House has responded to the petition that over 100,000 individuals have signed their name in support of Nick Diaz.

After Diaz fought Anderson Silva in January, Diaz tested positive for marijuana, making it his third offense in Las Vegas. Diaz was suspended for five years and fined $165,000 by the NAC, which fans as well as fighters thought was ridiculous, resulting in the petition.

The full statement from the White House:

“Thank you for your petition regarding the Nevada Athletic Commission’s suspension of Nick Diaz.

The federal government plays no role in the disciplinary actions taken by state athletic commissions, so we are not in a position to address the specific request raised in your petition. State authorities — in this case, the Nevada Athletic Commission — will generally be the best source for information about those kinds of issues.

However, we appreciate that so many of you banded together to make your voices heard through this platform.

If there are federal policy issues you care about, using this tool can help you and people all across the country communicate directly with a team in the White House focused on responding to petitions that get enough support. For example, in the past few years, we’ve weighed in on issues ranging from education regulations to wildlife trafficking, from criminal justice reform to vaccinations, and from electronic communication and net neutrality to international relations.”

Fortunately for Diaz and his fans, the latest news of the situation is that the NAC and Diaz’ legal team are working on the punishment, likely lessening the five-year ban.