At Evecon RAJU 20, held on 10 October at Tondiraba Ice Hall, the Estonian Center for Integrity in Sports (EADSE) carried out doping control on the athletes. It was the first time in RAJU history that an independent anti-doping organisation tested athletes at the event. EADSE selected the athletes for testing based on a risk assessment, and the control was carried out in accordance with the Estonian anti-doping rules and the WADA International Standard for Testing.
"Beyond fairness and equal opportunities, clean sport in combat sports is also a matter of safety. If one athlete has gained an advantage with prohibited substances, it is no longer a fair fight, and the opponent pays for it with their health," said Evecon RAJU organiser Ott Tõnissaar. According to Tõnissaar, sport is not only about wins and results but also about values such as fair play and respect for the opponent. "There are more and more young athletes in Estonian MMA and we want to set an example for them. That is why it is not only the control itself that matters, but also the message it carries: we stand for clean sport," he added.
The rules apply to professionals and amateurs alike
The obligation to take part in doping control applies to all athletes competing at Evecon RAJU. Professional athletes accept it when signing their contract with Evecon RAJU. For amateurs, the obligation comes from the requirements of the Estonian MMA Federation, which are based primarily on the anti-doping rules in force in Estonia and additionally on the rules of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF).
According to EADSE board member Kaido Kaljulaid, it is good to see the principles of clean sport go hand in hand with professional combat sports. "Doping control is not only about Olympic sports and national team athletes. The rules apply to everyone who competes, whether professional or amateur. When an organiser takes responsibility and brings doping control to its event, it shows athletes and the public that it cares about the athletes' health, equal opportunities and fair sport," Kaljulaid said. He added that EADSE is happy to partner with any organiser who wants to approach anti-doping work at their events more systematically.
Together with the Estonian MMA Federation
All Evecon RAJU bouts take place under the supervision of the Estonian MMA Federation. Evecon RAJU brought doping control to the event on its own initiative, and it is an important step for the federation as well. The organiser's aim is not just to meet the mandatory minimum, but to help take Estonian MMA forward together with the federation.
Evecon RAJU wants doping control to become standard practice at Estonian MMA events and hopes this step will encourage other organisers to engage more with anti-doping. The cooperation with EADSE continues, and the next Evecon RAJU event takes place on 10 April 2027 at Tondiraba Ice Hall.
