USADA has handed UFC middleweight Alen Amedovski a six month suspension after the fighter tested positive for a marijuana metabolite in-competition at UFC St. Petersburg. But that suspension has been cut in half.
UFC fans almost lost the recently reported fight between Alen Amedovski and John Phillips. Although news broke just days ago that the pairing was set for UFC Copenhagen in September, on Thursday, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced via press release that Amedovski (8-1) had accepted a six-month suspension following a positive test for Carboxy-THC, the pharmacologically-active cannabinoid metabolite of cannabis (and hashish). Luckily, however, the suspension has already been cut in half, meaning the fight can go ahead.
The result came from an in-competition sample collected on April 20, 2019, at UFC St. Petersburg, where Amedovski (8-1) lost a decision against Krzysztof Jotko, the first loss of his pro career. Amedovski had previously competed for Bellator MMA.
While some levels of Carboxy-THC are allowable under the UFC’s Anti-Doping Policy, the levels at which Amedovski tested positive for were at “a urinary concentration exceeding the Decision Limit for this Threshold Substance,” per a USADA press release.
USADA went on to note that “Amedovski accepted a six-month period of ineligibility, which began on April 20, 2019, the day his positive sample was collected. Based on Amedovski’s successful completion of a USADA approved drug awareness and management program, his period of ineligibility was reduced by three months.”
He’ll no doubt be aware not to repeat the same mistake moving forward. UFC Copenhagen, meanwhile, takes place September 27 at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark.
