UFC bantamweight tests positive for ostarine due to tainted supplement

UFC women’s bantamweight Lara Procopio accepted a six-month suspension for violation of the UFC’s anti-doping policy.  The 24-year-old Brazilian tested positive for Ostarine in an out-of-competition drug test on February 24^th.

The Brazilian’s one and only fight in the UFC, she lost to Karol Rosa by split decision at UFC Fight Night 157.  She was undefeated fighting in the Shooto Brasil promotion prior to her UFC debut. 

Per USADA release on Procopio’s sanction: 

Following notification of her positive test, Fritzen Procopio provided an open container of a dietary supplement she obtained from a Brazilian compounding pharmacy that she was using prior to her positive test, and which she declared on her doping control form, for analysis at a WADA-accredited laboratory. Although no prohibited substances were listed on the supplement label, the analysis revealed the presence of ostarine in the product. Delays in supplement testing were caused by laboratory closures due to COVID-19.

Under the current UFC ADP, if a situation arises where an athlete tests positive and is able to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the cause of the positive test was due to a supplement certified by one of the certifiers in the UFC rules, he or she will not be subject to an anti-doping policy violation and will be permitted to compete after follow-up testing and when there is no performance enhancing benefit in question. In this case, the supplement Fritzen Procopio identified was not a Certified Supplement, and she is therefore subject to an anti-doping policy violation.

Payout Perspective:

In the past, the UFC addressed Brazilian compounding pharmacies which make their own supplements/drugs which could lead to potential contamination.  The UFC had changed its policy on tainted supplements offering that a certified supplement would allow for an athlete to be granted immunity.  This was not the case here.  Despite this, her sanction was reduced from two years to just 6 months.  Since these USADA announcements occur post-sanction, she is available to fight again immediately.