UFC personnel have been warned not to drink alcohol during their upcoming visit to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The warning to staff was given in an internal memo, per Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fightingafter a wave of poisonings in the South American country.
“There has been an increase in the number of cases of methanol-contaminated alcohol in Brazil,” the memo said. “The country’s Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, has urged individuals to avoid drinking alcohol, especially spirits, where contamination is more difficult to detect. We therefore urge you to use your common sense if you plan to drink alcohol.”
The poisonings have been transmitted via contaminated alcohol, particularly types of vodka, whiskey and gin. There have been 200 confirmed cases across the country so far, and at least three deaths. It is not clear whether the poisonings were intentional or the result of a manufacturing accident.
Will UFC Rio go ahead?
The UFC, which has close ties with Brazil and especially Rio de Janeiro, will return to the city next Saturday. The card will go ahead as planned. The highlight will be a lightweight fight between former champion Charles Oliveira – a hero in Brazil – and Poland’s Mateusz Gamrot. Gamrot stepped in at short notice to replace the injured Rafael Fiziev. Oliveira will look to bounce back from a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria in a failed bid to regain the lightweight title earlier this year.
Saturday’s stacked card in Rio de Janeiro is expected to attract a large audience. As always, drinking will be a prevalent theme as fans enjoy the event itself, and fighters and UFC personnel toast their victories and successes in the aftermath. Hopefully no one gets hurt during the excitement.
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