The UFC’s Jon Jones has failed a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency drug test, just weeks after winning the title of light heavyweight champion.
Johns won the title on July 29. The UFC issued a statement Tuesday saying that a sample collected following Jones’ weigh-in on July 28 revealed a potential violation of its anti-doping policy.
“USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjunction of this case involving Jones, as it relates to the UFC Anti-Doping Policy and future UFC participation,” the statement read in part.
Article 10 of the UFC policy says the sanctions for an athlete who dopes during a fight can include “disqualification of all of the Athlete’s results obtained in that Bout with all Consequences, including, without limitation, forfeiture of title, ranking, purse or other compensation.”
In 2016, UFC pulled Jones from the UFC 200 main event against Cormier after he tested positive for a banned substance.
Today's failed drug test adds to a history of incidents with Jon Jones. pic.twitter.com/nJbCTm9qLk
— ESPN (@espn) August 23, 2017
Jones’ camp said additional samples are being taken.
“We are all at a complete loss for words right now,” reads a statement from his team. “Jon, his trainers, his nutritionists and his entire camp have worked tirelessly and meticulously the past 12 months to avoid this exact situation. We are having samples tested again to determine the validity or source of contamination. Jon is crushed by this news and we are doing whatever we can as a team, to support him.”
Cormier also expressed shock.
“It’s hard to describe how I’m feeling right now. I’m disappointed to hear the news. It’s very emotional,” he said in a statement. “We as athletes are entitled to due process, and I will refrain from saying much more until I know exactly what happened. … In my mind, on July 29, I competed and I lost. I thought Jon Jones was the better man that day. I don’t know what to think anymore. I can’t believe we are going through all of this again. We will see what happens next.”
In January 2015, Jones announced that he was going into rehab after testing positive for a metabolite of cocaine prior to his previous bout with Cormier. He also served a suspension from April to October that year after his involvement in a hit-and-run accident.