UFC Flyweight receives one-year suspension from USADA

UFC Flyweight Matheus Nicolau received a one-year suspension from USADA . The Brazilian fighter tested positive for the banned substance anastrozole.

Nicolau was flagged by USADA for an anti-doping violation in November 2014 and was forced to withdraw from UFC Fight Night 100.  The flagged test was a result of an out-of-competition test taken on October 13, 2016.  Nicolau’s suspension is retroactive to the date of his flagged test.

Anastrozole is an aromatase inhibitor and its intended use is to treat breast cancer in women.  The substance lowers estrogen hormone levels and is sometimes used as a kickstart for testosterone production.  This would infer that he utilized the drug for some type of performance enhancing drug.

Payout Perspective:

At just 24 years old, a year suspension should not sting Nicolau’s career.  But, the circumstances surrounding the year suspension still hurts as he claims that there were only traces of the banned substances which could not provide any performance enhancing effects.  Thus, he believes it to be from a contaminated supplement although he was not able to pinpoint it.  Perhaps that’s the reason for the one year suspension while most others carry a mandatory two.