Raquel Pennington Accepts Six-Month Reduced Suspension for USADA Violation

The US Anti-Doping Agency has issued a statement today confirming that UFC fighter and former title contender Raquel Pennington has accepted a six-month suspension for a USADA violation. However, due to her forthright admission of her use of the substances she was prescribed by a daughter, suspension was reduced for her full cooperation.

Pennington self-reported the use of two banned substances, 7-keto-DHEA and AOD-9064, to USADA on November 17, 2020. Additionally, 7-keto-DHEA (7-keto-dehydroepiandrosterone) is a non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents, and AOD-9064 is a non-Specified Substance in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances, and Mimetics. Both substances are on the banned list of substances at all time on the UFC Prohibited List under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy.

According to an announcement from the UFC, Pennington revealed she was prescribed the substances by a doctor in order to treat a medical condition. After use of the substances, she conducted research and learned that they were banned substances and immediately reported about her usage to USADA.

As a result, Raquel Pennington was eligible for a reduction in the period of ineligibility based on her “forthright declaration” before the sample was collected. Her suspension retroactively began on November 17, 2020, which was the date she declared use of the substances and a positive sample was collected.

This means she would be eligible to fight again following May 17. She last fought at UFC on ESPN 11 in June 2020, scoring a unanimous decision win over Marion Reneau.