The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced Jan. 26 the potential infraction of UFC welterweight George Sullivan (17-5-0, 1NC) following an out-of-competition sample taken Jan. 14.
Sullivan is serving a one-year suspension that is scheduled to end Jan. 31, but this new incident forced the UFC to remove him from a fight with Randy Brown at Brooklyn’s UFC 208 card in February.
The UFC released the following statement on its website:
“The UFC organization was formally notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed George Sullivan of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collection taken on January 14, 2017.
Sullivan is currently serving a one year suspension under the UFC Anti-Doping Program, for his use of a product containing the prohibited substance Insulin Growth Factor -1 (IGF-1). Sullivan was due to end his current suspension on January 31, 2017, and compete on the UFC 208 card in Brooklyn, New York, against Randy Brown. However, USADA has provisionally suspended Sullivan based on the new potential anti-doping violation, and the UFC has removed Sullivan from the UFC 208 card. The UFC is currently seeking a replacement to face Randy Brown.
USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjudication of this case. It is important to note that, under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, there is a full fair legal review process that is afforded to all athletes before any sanctions are imposed.
Consistent with all previous potential anti-doping violations, additional information or UFC statements will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.”
Sullivan explained in a Facebook post that a fertility drug was the cause of the problem.
Don't excuse someone of cheating if you don't know the story. Let me explain before thinking I would do anything to cheat.
— George Sullivan (@Sullivan_UFC) January 27, 2017
Sent all the paper work to Usada to show why we need this medication. Trying to get tue approval
— George Sullivan (@Sullivan_UFC) January 28, 2017
Sullivan’s last fight was a knockout loss to Alexander Yakoviev at UFC on FOX 18 in January 2016.
The process continues.
