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Jessica Penne Facing Four-Year Suspension, USADA Claims Her Statement Is Factually Inaccurate
In a post on Instagram, Jessica Penne revealed that she is facing a four-year suspension from MMA and subsequently announced her retirement. She claimed she was bullied into it.
She wrote: ““I am heartbroken and defeated. I spent thousands of dollars I didn’t have testing medications and supplements. At my age there is no way I can come back in four years. At this point I am lost and defeated. I am innocent. I don’t know where I go from here. At this point USADA has held me from making a career and income for the last three years and I am ashamed to say I am broke, defeated and heartbroken. I love this sport and gave my life to it.”
This was her second failed drug test. She claimed that she took different medications while dealing with injuries and dealt with “not pleasant” interactions with a member of the USADA staff.
USADA then responded with a statement to MMA Fighting: “Given Jessica Penne’s public statement, we can confirm her positive test for stanozolol. However, there are many factual inaccuracies and unfounded allegations in her statement, including that she has been forced out of UFC. In fact, she has exercised her right to contest her case before an independent arbitrator, per a request USADA received after she released her public statement. Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, all athletes have the right to present the facts and circumstances during a full evidentiary hearing. We look forward to the opportunity to present the facts and evidence through this process.”
