A Voluntary Anti-Doping Association drug test taken in conjunction with UFC 232 has revealed the same turinabol metabolite in Jon Jones’ system that resulted in the card being shifted from Las Vegas to Los Angeles.
Jon Jones is not going to be able to shake performance enhancing drug use suspicions any time soon. Though, at least this time, the news is not exactly unexpected. On Wednesday, it was learned that Jones’ VADA drug test, ordered by the CSAC, had uncovered the same long term turninabol metabolite that led to UFC 232 being picked up and moved from Nevada to California.
The results of the test were requested by MMA Junkie, who reported the news.
Jones tested positive with 33 picograms of the long-term M3 metabolite of oral turinabol. In other tests surrounding UFC 232, Jones’ test came back clear of any evidence of the metabolite. However, the U.S. Anti-Doping agency has stated that they believe the issue to be related to a “pulsing” of the metabolite, which has been blamed on Jones’ failed drug test back at UFC 214 in 2017. Neither USADA nor the CSAC believe Jones’ repeated drug test failures since then to be evidence of new doping.
A representative with USADA previously told Cageside Press that they see the situation as akin to double jeopardy, noting they cannot punish Jones twice for the same infraction. USADA referred to experts who reviewed the case, without specifying which experts those were.
The UFC, USADA, and the CSAC have all been firm that the inconsistencies in Jones’ drug tests are not from microdosing. In particular, the lack of short term metabolites in his system is seen as proof of that.
