Issue 146
October 2016
Fighters that broke the rules of the WADA banned list.
Ibutamoren - Yoel Romero
The Cuban said his positive test for this type of growth hormone was due to a tainted supplement. USADA confirmed its presence – which wasn't listed as an ingredient – and reduced his sentence to six months.
7-keto-DHEA - Lyoto Machida
'The Dragon' issued an emotional apology for taking this anabolic before his scheduled rematch with Dan Henderson in April. USADA is yet to issue a statement confirming the length of ‘The Dragon’s suspension from competition.
EPO - Gleison Tibau
The UFC veteran received a two-year ban after testing positive following his submission victory over Abel Trujillo in November. Tibau insisted he didn’t think he was doing anything wrong, but decided not to appeal the decision.
GHRP-6 - Chad Mendes
The three-time UFC featherweight title challenger was busted for this peptide in an out-of-competition test and suspended for two years from July. Mendes insists the substance was contained in a cream he was using to treat psoriasis, a skin condition he’s struggled with for years.
Intravenous injection - BJ Penn
‘The Prodigy’ criticized fighters who used IVs to rehydrate after weigh-ins, but considered them OK outside of competition. USADA didn’t. IV infusions of any substance of more than 50ml are banned because they could be used to mask urine test results.
Carboxy-THC - Diego Brandao
The little Brazilian was banned for nine months in May, backdated to the date of the positive test in January for the metabolite of marijuana at UFC 195. Brandao’s test results exceeded the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) limit of 180ng/ml and were taken within the six-hour window of in-competition.
Turinabol - Frank Mir
Both the former UFC heavyweight champion's A and B samples came back hot for turinabol metabolites, which is commonly classified as an anabolic steroid. Mir maintains he has no knowledge of taking the substance and hinted tainted kangaroo meat he consumed in Australia could be to blame for the positive tests that could end his career.
Letrozole - Jon Jones
Traces of this substance were found in the former 205lb champion’s pre-UFC 200 sample along with clomiphene. It can be used to stop the testosterone synthesizing into estrogen and significantly stimulate natural testosterone production.
Methadone - Ken Shamrock
The UFC Hall of Famer insisted medication for a pituitary condition was to blame when he tested positive for the steroid nandrolone and opioid methadone in March. He also had elevated testosterone levels, to complete a hat-trick of prohibited substances in his system during his Bellator 149 defeat to Royce Gracie.
Meldonium - Islam Makhachev
USADA actually overturned the Dagestani lightweight’s suspension for the same drug that shamed tennis star Maria Sharapova this year, after he proved the medicine had been prescribed to him by his MD following a heart procedure in 2015. Meldonium is known to increase exercise capacity and was only added to the prohibited list
in January.
Hydroxy-clomiphene - Brock Lesnar
The 265lb behemoth batted away any suggestion he took banned substances before UFC 200, but was found to have estrogen blockers in his system. They are notorious for being used by people coming off a cycle of anabolic steroid use, though the heavyweight insisted his innocence and vowed to “get to the bottom” of the issue.
Ostarine - Tim Means
Defined in the SARMS (selective androgen receptor modulators) class, the effects are similar to anabolic steroids except with fewer side effects. Means, whose positive test ruled him out of a fight with Donald Cerrone in February, maintains a tainted lab test or supplement is to blame. With a two to four-year ban hanging over him, he awaits the results of his B sample.
