UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has tested positive for anabolic steroid Turinabol in a test taken the day before his victory over Daniel Cormier at UFC 214.
Jones defeated long-term rival Cormier with a stunning knockout in the third round in Anaheim, California, but in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the news broke that Jones had failed a second drugs test in little over a year.
The 30-year-old is widely considered to be the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, undoubtedly the most talented but this latest controversy leaves serious doubt hanging over his legacy.
Turinabol is an anabolic steroid first used in East Germany in 1962. It is claimed that it is beneficial to building in protecting lean mass and bone mass without severe complications. For fifteen years, it was administered to Olympic athletes representing the nation before being discontinued in 1994.
The use of Turinabol is said not to benefit gym users and bodybuilders, but more athletes competing in sport. The use of the drug is said to significantly promote muscular endurance and improve the rate of recovery.
Jones also tested positive in build-up to UFC 200 in July last year for taking Cialis, a treatment for erectile dysfunction which was later deemed that Jones didn’t intentionally try to cheat by taking the drug, but was still given a one-year ban.
Dana White was interviewed in the wake of the news breaking and told reporters "I always know what to say. I don't know what to say about this one.
"These things never come at a good time. They're always bad, especially with somebody like Jon Jones. In my opinion, he's the best to ever do it. That makes it even more unfortunate."
Jon Jones’ camp also released a statement saying: "We are all at a complete loss for words right now. 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 the samples tested again to determine the validity or source of contamination.”
Jones was also stripped of his UFC title in 2015 after being arrested on hit-and-run charges. His victory over Daniel Cormier last month regained his title after two-and-a-half years without it.
This also marks the third consecutive fight that Jones has tested positive for various drugs or violating the UFC’s Code of Conduct policy. Jones has the right to request that his ‘B’ sample be tested to confirm that the test has failed. He also has the right to an appeal process which means this storm could continue over the next few months.
If the positive test is confirmed, his victory over Cormier will declared a no-contest and it is likely that Jones will be stripped of the title.
Cormier was informed of the news and released a statement saying "It's hard to find words to describe how I'm feeling right now. I'm disappointed to hear the news. It's very emotional. 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." said an understandably emotional Daniel Cormier who has been through an emotional rollercoaster with Jon Jones.
Dana White later told reporters that he had been targeting a matchup between Jon Jones and current heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic later this year before the positive test had returned.
The UFC finds itself in a difficult situation. Apart from Conor McGregor, Jones is the biggest star in the sport, but the promotion will have made a mockery of their own anti-doping programme if they allow Jones to return.
Look at Justin Gatlin, a serial offender in doping in athletics and is now currently a world champion in the sport. That’s not Gatlin’s fault, it’s the fault of the sport’s governing bodies. The UFC may have to look to avoid that, which leaves Jon Jones left to potentially compete elsewhere.
