Earlier today the UFC drug testing program announced another fighter had been flagged for a doping violation. This time the fighter was flagged for an out of competition test taken on September 2nd.
Azamant Murzakanov signed with the UFC this past May and was expected to fight at a UFC Fight Night event in Oklahoma but was pulled from the card and replaced by Dominick Reyes. Murzakanov now finds himself facing a possible suspension from USADA before he’s even had the chance to make his octagon debut.
The UFC issued a statement regarding Murzakanov via their website earlier.
“The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed Azamat Murzakanov of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collected on September 2, 2017.
USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjudication of this case involving Murzakanov. Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, there is a full and fair legal process that is afforded to all athletes before any sanctions are imposed. Additional information will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.”
He’s just the latest of a long list of fighters to get flagged by the UFC’s drug testing program since it’s start in July of 2015. Most recently UFC light heavyweight superstar Jon “Bones” Jones was once again caught by USADA after he was flagged for steroids stemming from a test taken prior to his title fight against Daniel Cormier at UFC 214.
“It’s brutal, it’s unbelievable,” UFC President Dana White said during a scrum. “There’s never a good time [to get news like this] — it’s always bad, especially with somebody like Jon Jones. He’s the best ever in MMA to do it. He’s the best ever, which makes it even more unfortunate. If this ends up where he gets a two or three-year [ban] this might be the end of his career. So to talk about his legacy? It would probably be the end of his career.
“How old is Jon now, 30?” Dana continued. “Trying to make a comeback again [at 34 years old] — and you look at what could have been, what he could have done — it’s sad. I don’t know what to say about this one.”
