A Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter has
taken it upon himself to unveil the news of his recent positive
drug test.
Late Thursday night, Daniel
Rodriguez (17-4) announced on Instagram that he
had failed an out-of-competition drug test for ostarine. Due to the
active investigation, he will no longer be competing at the
upcoming Sept. 16 event,
UFC Fight Night 227, also called “Noche UFC,” at the T-Mobile
Arena in Las Vegas. Rodriguez claimed that he did not intentionally
take the banned substance, and that the low levels of ostarine in
his system could be attributed to certain dietary supplements he
takes.
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Rodriguez is not currently suspended by USADA or the UFC, but
during the course of the review process, he will not be allowed to
compete. This specific substance has been linked to multiple
“tainted supplement” suspensions handed down by the organization,
where the fighter did not intentionally ingest the substance, but
it was inadvertently included in the processing of something they
ate or took.
Several UFC
combatants, including Diego
Sanchez, Ovince St.
Preux, Sean
O’Malley and Tim Means,
have all been
flagged in the past for this specific selective androgen
receptor modulator that aids in muscle growth, and were all issued
light sentences due to the drug in their system but not of their
own volition. The UFC has not yet stated if Rodriguez’ opponent,
Santiago
Ponzinibbio, will remain on the billing with a new matchup.
Rodriguez’ statement in its entirety reads as follows:
”Following a communication from USADA today, I wanted to clarify
the current situation to the media, my supporters, and everybody
involved in the sport of mixed martial arts.”
“Today I was notified that an out-of-competition sample that I
provided to USADA was positive for an extremely low level of
Ostarine. First and foremost, I want to clarify I did not
intentionally use Ostarine, nor have I ever knowingly used any
prohibited substance in my career. I rarely take any form of
supplements and have always strived to care for my body in the most
natural ways. From my first fight until today I have had a negative
test every single time not one slip up not one positive test until
today. Since I was notified, I became educated on Ostarine, as well
as others who have tested positive for the substance. Ostarine,
specifically, is commonly found as a low-level contaminant in
certain dietary supplements. These levels provide absolutely no
performance-enhancing benefit. I strongly believe that a supplement
contaminant is the reason for my low-level positive, and am
actively working with my Manager, USADA, and the UFC on reviewing
and testing the supplements I took prior to my test.”
“While I am extremely disappointed in this development and am now
unable to fight on September 16th, I am looking forward to finding
a definitive explanation for my low-level positive test and am
ready to fully cooperate with the USADA. I look forward to getting
back to work in the Octagon soon. Unfortunately, some things are
just out of our control. Moving forward, I will be more selective
with the supplements I put in my body and will be sure to confirm
they are all third party-approved.”
According to a USADA statement provided to
ESPN, the anti-drug test agency confirmed this while stating
that the investigation is still underway.
“With all cases,” the statement wrote, “the UFC ADP provides full
due process including the right to a B-sample analysis and a
hearing in front of an independent arbitrator before any sanction
is imposed. All athletes are innocent unless and until proven to
have committed a violation of the rules through the established
process.”
It continued, “We appreciate Mr. Rodriguez’s willingness to
cooperate in the determination of the facts. We also acknowledge
Mr. Rodriguez’s claim of supplement contamination, and while the
facts must be determined before any conclusion is drawn, we
continue to encourage athletes to exercise caution with
supplements, which are not approved by the FDA, and ensure any
supplement they choose to take is tested by a third party, such as
NSF Certified for Sport.”