UFC Heavyweight accepts 1 year USADA ban

UFC Heavyweight James Mulheron has accepted a 1 year suspense from the UFC.  Mulheron tested positive for clomiphene and its metabolite.

 

Mulheron just had one fight in the UFC, a loss at UFC Fight Night 113 this past July in Glasgow, Scotland.  Prior to that he fought primarily in England.  He was scheduled to fight again at the UFC event in China this past November but an out-of-competition test was flagged and he was taken off the card.

Via USADA:

Mulheron, 29, tested positive for clomiphene and its metabolite, hydroxyclomiphene, following an out-of-competition urine test conducted on November 10, 2017. Clomiphene is a Specified Substance in the class of Hormone and Metabolic Modulators and is prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, which has adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.

Clomiphene is not approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) or the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in the male population, as its use has not been thoroughly studied for safety and efficacy. Clomiphene also indirectly promotes the secretion of testosterone. Increasing testosterone, especially when combined with strength training, has been demonstrated to increase fat-free mass, muscle size, and strength in males, potentially leading to performance enhancement in sport.

Mulheron’s one-year period of ineligibility began on November 17, 2017, the date his provisional suspension was imposed. As a result of his positive test, Mulheron was removed from the Card for the UFC Fight Night event in Shanghai, China, scheduled for November 25, 2017.

Payout Perspective:

The one-year ban seems as though Mulheron got off the hook fairly easy considering most of his MMA career occurs in England.  Even if he does not fight this year, Mulheron will need only wait until next fall to fight again.  The flagged tests seem to capture a lot of first or second time fighters which may be a result of lack of education on the program or a fighter not realizing the demands of drug testin.