Report: UFC 249 fighters could lose purse for criticizing COVID-19 protocols
Fighters competing at UFC 249 on Saturday could lose their purse and any monetary bonuses if they defame or disparage the promotion over its health and safety protocols related to the coronavirus, according to a contract that Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole obtained.
The athletes reportedly were required to sign the document.
UFC president Dana White told Iole on Saturday that there's an anti-disparagement clause in every UFC contract. White denied there would be any punishment if an athlete said something negative but true about the promotion.
"If a fighter says something that isn’t true - if he says we didn’t test anyone for this - that would (violate the agreement)," White said. "But if he said something that was true, his opinion, then that is different."
Showtime Sports executive Stephen Espinoza first mentioned the contract terms in a tweet earlier Saturday.
It's because they were required to sign a document which says that they can lose their whole purse and bonuses if they say anything negative about the COVID protocols. https://t.co/97v9ZduOxF
— Stephen Espinoza (@StephenEspinoza) May 9, 2020
UFC 249 is the promotion's first event since March 14 due to the pandemic. It takes place in Jacksonville, and the headliner is Tony Ferguson versus Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title.