mma / News

BJ Penn Issued Six-Month Suspension by USADA, Calls Out GSP

June 27, 2016 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas
BJ Penn

BJ Penn has received a six-month suspension by the USADA over his admitting to using a banned IV. The USADA made the announcement today. The suspension is retroactive to March 25th, when he admitted to the IV use. That will make him eligble to fight again on September 25th.

Penn called out Georges St-Pierre today on Twitter for a possible fight at UFC 205. The event takes place on November 12th in New York City, so Penn would be cleared to fight at that point:

The USADA’s statement is below:

During an out-of-competition test on March 25, 2016, Penn declared the use of an intravenous infusion of a non-prohibited substance. A subsequent investigation by USADA revealed that the intravenous infusion received by Penn was administered in a volume greater than 50 mL within a 6 hour period. Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, intravenous infusions in a volume greater than 50 mL within a 6 hour period are prohibited, except for those legitimately received in the course of hospital admissions, surgical procedures or clinical investigations. Intravenous infusions received in any other setting require an approved Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).

Penn, 37, voluntarily disclosed his use of the intravenous infusion and fully cooperated with USADA’s investigation into the circumstances regarding his violation. Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, the standard period of ineligibility may be reduced due to an individual’s voluntary admission of a violation and/or pursuant to an analysis of the individual’s degree of fault for the violation. Here, after taking both of those factors into consideration, USADA determined that a 6-month period of ineligibility was an appropriate sanction under the rules for Penn’s violation.

Penn’s period of ineligibility began on March 25, 2016, the date on which he admitted his anti-doping policy violation to USADA.