Andre Ewell, part of the UFC’s bantamweight division, is the latest fighter to receive a public warning from USADA.
In a press release Tuesday, USADA (U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) officials revealed that Ewell, 32, had failed an out-of-competition drug test on October 15, 2020, testing positive for banned substance ostarine. Banned at all times under the UFC’s Anti-Doping Policy, ostarine is a common contaminant in athletic supplements.
That appears to be the case with Ewell. In the course of their investigation into Ewell’s failed drug test, “Ewell provided a sealed container of a dietary supplement he was using prior to his positive test for analysis at a WADA-accredited laboratory. Although no prohibited substances were listed on the supplement label, the analysis revealed a low level of ostarine in the product. Because the product was not a Certified Supplement, Ewell faces a violation.”
The violation, however, amounts to a public warning. That comes due to the recent changes to the UFC’s Anti-Doping Policy, which went into effect on January 1, 2021. In Ewell’s case, “based on the specific circumstances of the case, USADA determined that Ewell’s exposure to ostarine from the supplement product was not consistent with a dosage that would have a performance enhancing benefit.”
Ewell last competed (17-6) last competed in September, defeating Irwin Rivera via split decision at UFC Vegas 11. He is scheduled to step in against Cody Stamann on February 6, 2021 in place of Merab Dvalishvili.
