JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Islam Makhachev’s 2016 optimistic drug check was a failure, however extra so by the system than the athlete. That’s in accordance with UFC senior vp of anti-doping compliance Jeff Novitzky.
Throughout Wednesday’s UFC 302 media day, Novitzky introduced Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) with a 50-time excellent check jacket. Earlier than doing so, nevertheless, he defined why Makhachev’s drug check failure eight years in the past forward of a scheduled struggle vs. Drew Dober shouldn’t be held in opposition to the UFC light-weight champion.
“Islam did have a difficulty again in 2016. I truly talked with him and his staff final week and I mentioned, ‘I feel we have to carry this up.’ And so they agreed.”
Makhachev was 24 on the time, and pulled from the cardboard throughout UFC on FOX 16 weigh-ins day. Then-UFC anti-doping companion USADA suspended Makhachev for 3 months, although mentioned he was “with out fault or negligence” as a result of Makhachev took Meldonium after a difficulty with frequent ventricular arrhythmia.
“In 2016, USADA, who ran our program, put it on our prohibited checklist,” Novitzky mentioned about Meldonium. “Earlier than that, you had been allowed to make use of it. He had a medical process again in 2014. He submitted paperwork that he used it beneath that. Finally, he was cleared by USADA. However in my view, one of many best, colossal errors in anti-doping. It affected not solely Islam however a number of different UFC athletes and tons of of different newbie Olympic athletes.
“That’s one thing that simply can’t occur. That’s one thing you may carry ahead with you and your fame ceaselessly. I’m right here at this time at this time to say that Islam completely did nothing unsuitable. This error was on the anti-doping authority, not him. It’s crucial to notice that.”
The UFC and USADA have since cut up, in a really public and considerably aggravated parting of the way on the conclusion of 2023. The present UFC anti-doping program is run by former FBI agent George Piro.
Makhachev has no historical past of drug check failures outdoors of the 2016 failure. He fights Dustin Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 302 foremost occasion at Prudential Heart.
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