UFC’s Ige gives blood sample meant for neighbor
UFC featherweight Dan Ige says a bizarre set of circumstances led to him supplying blood to a complete stranger early Thursday morning.
As an active UFC athlete, Ige, 27, is subject to a random, year-round drug-testing program, which is administered by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). According to Ige, a blood collector visited his Las Vegas residence and asked for a blood sample on Thursday.
After the collection process took place, however, the collector revealed she was not from USADA.
“I was half asleep and just went through with it,” Ige told ESPN. “She took my blood, and after she was like, ‘What’s your name?’ I told her my name, and she goes, ‘Oh, you’re not John?’ I’m like, ‘What the f—? No, I’m not John.’
“The crazy thing was she walked out of my house with my blood. At the time, I wasn’t thinking. I was just like, ‘You’re not here for me, get out of my house.’ My main thing now is I want to get my blood back, or get proof that it was destroyed. I don’t want my blood just floating out there.”
Ige said he has since identified a “John” in his neighborhood, who lives one street away. John confirmed to Ige that he was scheduled to submit blood work with a private lab on Thursday, and that the collector actually visited him following her mistake.
Ige said he’s been in contact with the lab, but the status of his blood sample has not been resolved. He said the UFC advised him to file a police report.
“It’s crazy,” Ige said. “Who else comes to my door at 6 a.m. and wants blood or urine? I didn’t think about it. I don’t want to get anyone in trouble, but this is for my peace of mind. I don’t want to have a clone somewhere out there, or end up in a crime scene.”