On Thursday, USADA announced a nine-month suspension to UFC fighter Diego Brandao for his Anti-Doping Policy violation for Carboxy-THC, “a metabolite of marijuana and/or hashish.”
Brandao tested positive for the banned substance for his fight at UFC 195 back on January 2, 2016.
Below is the official press release USADA issued this week:
UFC Athlete, Brandao, Accepts Sanction for Anti-Doping Rule Violation
May 19, 2016
USADA announced today that Diego Brandao, of São Paulo, Brazil, tested positive for a prohibited substance and has accepted a nine-month sanction for his anti-doping policy violation.
Brandao, 28, tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a metabolite of marijuana and/or hashish, above the decision limit of 180 ng/mL, stemming from an in-competition sample collected on January 2, 2016 at UFC 195 in Las Vegas, Nev. Marijuana and hashish are in the class of Cannabinoids on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List, and prohibited, in-competition, under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy.
Cannabinoids are listed as Specified Substances on the WADA Prohibited List. Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, the standard sanction for an anti-doping policy violation involving a Specified Substance is a one-year period of ineligibility, which may be reduced to a public reprimand and no period of ineligibility depending on the athlete’s degree of fault.
Brandao accepted a nine-month period of ineligibility, which began on January 2, 2016, the date of sample collection; however, per the Policy, Brandao is eligible for an additional one-month reduction in sanction length pending the satisfactory completion of an approved anti-doping educational program. Further, Brandao’s positive test also falls under the jurisdiction of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, who may impose additional sanctions, including fines or a period of ineligibility that is longer than the period set forth above.
As a result of the doping violation, Brandao has been disqualified from all competitive results achieved on and subsequent to January 2, 2016, including forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes.
USADA conducts the year-round, independent anti-doping program for all UFC athletes. USADA is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental agency whose sole mission is to preserve the integrity of competition, inspire true sport, and protect the rights of clean athletes. The anti-doping program run by USADA for UFC athletes includes education, science and research, testing, and results management. Official UFC Anti-Doping Program information and athlete resources are available at UFC.USADA.org.
