UFC Bans Fighters From Criticizing its Safety Protocols
Fighters have been asked to sign an agreement releasing the UFC from claims of negligence related to Covid-19.
Two UFC fighters.
Photographer: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLCEven as the UFC downplays the health risks of holding bouts during a pandemic, it has been working to eliminate legal risk for itself.
In legal waivers presented to mixed martial artists by the sports entertainment company and viewed by Bloomberg News in advance of its multi-bout event on May 9 in Jacksonville, Florida, UFC fighters were required to acknowledge that hospital services in the area “may be unusually limited,” and that the UFC was making no guarantees “whatsoever” regarding local hospitals’ capacity, their ability to treat Covid-19, or whether going there would cause them to get exposed to the coronavirus.