Cung Le tests positive for HGH, suspended one year
Cung Le tested positive for an excess level of Human Growth Hormone in his system following his fight at UFC Fight Night in Macao, China on August 23.
In the run up to their fight at UFC Fight Night: Macau, UFC middleweight Michael Bisping implied that Cung Le was using Performance Enhancing Drugs. Bisping was right.
As there is no government regulatory body in Macau, the UFC self regulated. Le tested positive for Human Growth Hormone, and has been suspended for one year. The suspension was initially announced as nine months.
The UFC made the announcement.
“UFC middleweight Cung Le tested positive for an excess level of Human Growth Hormone in his system following his fight at UFC Fight Night in Macao, China on August 23. Due to his positive test result, Le was suspended by the UFC and notified that he violated the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy and Promotional Agreement with Zuffa, LLC. The UFC has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance-enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents by our athletes. Le will serve a nine-month suspension and, at its conclusion, will need to pass a drug test before competing in the UFC again.”
A corrected release came several hours later.
After review by UFC Senior Management, an error was discovered regarding the length of Cung Le’s suspension due to a failed drug test. While originally stated as nine months, the correct suspension period to be enforced is 12 months.
Le tested positive for an excess level of Human Growth Hormone in his system following his fight at UFC Fight Night in Macao, China on August 23. He will still be required to pass a drug screening before being allowed to compete in the UFC following the completion of his suspension.
No one fighter has faced as many opponents who became known as PED users, either real or permitted, as has Michael Bisping. In the past seven years each Bisping loss but one was to someone who has either run afoul of drug testing, or who was issued a now shelved Therapeutic Use Exemption for Testosterone Replacement Therapy, or both:
1/19/2013 Loss Vitor Belfort
1/28/2012 Loss Chael Sonnen
2/20/2010 Loss Wanderlei Silva
7/11/2009 Loss Dan Henderson
At least Bisping won this one.