LAS VEGAS – The UFC has scrapped its recently announced plans for an in-house and year-round drug-testing program for its fighters.

UFC President Dana White discussed the cancellation on Thursday while speaking to reporters during a UFC 182 media day session.

In August, the UFC first laid out plans for the program. The organization was in contact with a half dozen or so independent testing agencies that could help the UFC provide out-of-competition/year-round testing for its 500-plus fighters.

White and UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta previously told MMAjunkie that the costs associated with random testing could curtail its use, but the promotion was committed to backing enhanced testing efforts.

However, according to White, instead of overseeing its own program, the organization instead will give money to state athletic commissions, which are the regulatory bodies in most North American locations and a growing number of international venues. As White said on Thursday, the commissions can then fund and oversee additional testing, which is a job the UFC isn’t suited for, he said.

“What we’ll do is we’ll help fund it so they can do better drug testing, more drug testing,” he said. “They can handle it. They’re the regulators.”

White specifically pointed to the recent situation with middleweight Cung Le, who was suspended following an August loss to Michael Bisping at UFC Fight Night 48 in Macau, where there’s no regulatory body and the UFC oversaw its own drug testing. White called the situation a “real eye-opener” and admitted “we handled it wrong internally.”

Although White said Le had tested “18 times” the limit for human growth hormone (HGH), there were legitimate doubts about the test’s accuracy and an unclear appeal process.

Although Le initially was suspended nine months, Fertitta later extended it to 12 months, citing a discovered “error” with the administrative process. Le, who agreed to the nine-month term, wouldn’t accept the longer suspension.

Le fought it and went public with his complaints, and the UFC ultimately rescinded the suspension as further questions and doubts arose. Le then requested his release and recently joined a class-action lawsuit that alleges the UFC participated in anti-competitive practices that hindered fighters.

White believes Le’s involvement in the suit is a result of the drug-testing situation.

“Our legal team completely screwed that thing up,” White said. ” … We have no business doing drug testing. We f-cked it up, and we will f-ck it up again. That’s what the commission is there to do.”

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.