USADA statement on Jon Jones anti-doping test abnormality

Jon Jones was scheduled to fight Alexander Gustafsson for the light heavyweight belt at UFC 232 on December 29, in Las Vegas. However, a USADA anti-doping test administered on December 9 showed residual amounts of the substance for which the fighter tested positive in July 2017. The Nevada State Athletic Commission would not license Jones to fight, citing the need for further time to review the matter. However, the California State Athletic Commission, under executive director Andy Foster, had extensive experience with the matter, having supervised the sanctioning process around the original test failure in July of 2017, and was willing to license Jones, so the fight was moved.

USADA released a statement of support:

USADA informed the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) on Thursday that a urine sample collected by USADA from Jon Jones in an out-of-competition test session on December 9, 2018 was reported Thursday by the WADA-accredited laboratory in Salt Lake City to contain an extremely low level of 4-chloro-18-nor-17β-hydroxymethyl,17α-methyl-5α-androst-13-en-3α-ol (M3), a metabolite of dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (DHCMT), or another chlorine-substituted anabolic steroid.

This is the same substance that was detected in Jones’ positive test from July 28, 2017 and for which he received a 15-month sanction from an independent arbitrator under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy. After examining the scientific literature on this substance and the extensive testing history on Jones and consulting with leading scientific experts, USADA has concluded that the extremely low level of DHCMT in Mr. Jones’ December 9, 2018 sample is consistent with residual amounts from his prior exposure for which he was previously sanctioned. USADA has also concluded that consistent with the prior finding by the independent arbitrator, at these extremely low levels, Jones obtained no performance enhancement from this level. The level reported was at approximately 60 pg/mL and there was no parent drug or other metabolites of the drug in his sample. As a result of these findings, USADA has determined that Mr. Jones is not facing a violation per the UFC Anti-Doping Policy.

As always, sanctioning bodies for each hosting state have jurisdiction over fighter participation and – taking all facts into account – are able to come to their own conclusions under their rules. We are confident after consideration of all the evidence and based on science that the resolution of this result under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy is consistent with USADA’s mandate and in the interests of justice.

So UFC 232: Jones vs. Gustafsson 2 will be held on December 29, at The Forum in Inglewood, California.