Sullivan cites male fertility drug in failed anti-doping test

Lasy year UFC welterweight George Sullivan was suspended for one year by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) yet never failed an anti-doping test. Sullivan voluntarily disclosed that he was taking a prohibited substance, via a mislabeled product. That got him removed from a fight with Hector Urbina at UFC on FOX 20 on July 23.

After an investigation Sullivan was suspended for one year, retroactive to January 31, his last fight in the Octagon. The one year is half the two-year suspension that is normally given for a first-time PED test failure.

That suspension was scheduled to end on January 30, and a fight was booked with Randy Brown at UFC 208 on February 11. However, Sullivan was still subject to testing while under suspension, and a test was flagged, leading to a provisional suspension.

Via UFC.com.

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.

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.

Sullivan posted on his social network that it was a misunderstanding.

Hey guys it’s a misunderstanding about a fertility pill I started taking 3 weeks ago to try and have a baby. dr Morgan is Sending in all of his paper work tomorrow to clear this up. I’m sad that it came to this my dr and I are shocked and we will clear this up. I have all the documents to prove it. I love my wife and starting a family is everything to us ! God bless

Wanna thank everyone sharing and backing me. Showing the world I was never cheating or using anything that gains performance. Not all drugs on the banned list are for performance I have nothing to hide and my dr is sending in all the kid work and test I went through. People who cheat use pills like this to recover I have proof I need this pill I even underwent blood testing to do so. I will prove everything tomorrow.

Given the pace of USADA investigations, even if Sullivan is found to be not liable for the second test failure, it is likely not to be in time for his to fight Brown in two weeks.