Jon Jones fails drug test following win at UFC 214, Daniel Cormier responds
Jon Jones has been notified of a potential doping violation after testing positive for a banned substance following his fight against Daniel Cormier at UFC 214.
According to UFC officials, Jones was flagged by USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) following a test that was administered after the weigh-ins on July 28. A separate report from TMZ.com stated that Jones tested positive for Turinabol, which is an anabolic steroid, but neither the fighter nor USADA have confirmed that information at this time.
“The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed Jon Jones of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an in-competition sample collected following his weigh-in on July 28, 2017,” UFC officials wrote in a statement.
Jones won his fight against Cormier with a third round knockout to reclaim the UFC light heavyweight title, but now the result of the bout and his title are in question.
Jones was already suspended for a year following another positive drug test last year ahead of another bout scheduled against Cormier. On that occasion, Jones was able to prove that he took a tainted erectile dysfunction medication, but USADA still ultimately ruled that he should be suspended for one year due to the infraction.
If found guilty, Jones faces the potential for an even stiffer penalty because he’s a second time offender.
Following news that he had tested positive for a banned substance at UFC 214, Jones’ team released a statement on his behalf:
“We are all at a complete loss for words right now. Jon, his trainers, his nutritionists and his entire camp have worked tirelessly and meticulously the past 12 months to avoid this exact situation. We are having the samples tested again to determine the validity or source of the contamination.
“Jon is crushed by this news and we are doing whatever we can as a team to support him.”
DANIEL CORMIER RELEASES HIS OWN STATEMENT ON THE NEWS
Cormier also released a statement after news reached him that Jones had tested positive following their fight on July 29 in Anaheim.
“It’s hard to find words to describe how I’m feeling right now. I’m disappointed to hear the news. It’s very emotional,” Cormier said. “We as athletes are entitled to due process, and I will refrain from saying much more until I know exactly what happened.
“In my mind, on July 29, I competed and I lost. I thought Jon Jones was the better man that day. I don’t know what to think anymore. I can’t believe we are going through all of this again. We will see what happens next. Thank you to all my fans who have supported me during this dark time. I love you all very much.”
For now, Jones has been provisionally suspended by USADA pending the outcome of his adjudication process.
