mma / News
Jon Jones Receives Fifteen Month Suspension From USADA, Eligible to Return Next Month
Jon Jones has received a fifteen-month suspension from the US Anti-Doping Agency for his failed drug test from July of 2017, and could return next month. MMAjunkie reports that the USADA announced the suspension on Wednesday.
The disciplinary action is retroactive to the original failed test, which was revealed on July 28th, 2017. As such, he is eligible to return on October 28th. Jones faced a suspension of up to four years due to the positive test for turinabol from his rematch against Daniel Cormier at UFC 214. His license was revoked and he was fined by the CSAC, after which he was stripped of the UFC light heavyweight championship.
USADA said that the suspension was decided on after an evidentiary hearing with an independent arbitrator on September 15th, with USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart stating, “The independent arbitrator found that Jon Jones was not intentionally cheating in this case, and while we thought 18 months was the appropriate sanction given the other circumstances of the case, we respect the arbitrator’s decision and believe that justice was served.”
Jones posted to Instagram with a statement which read, “It’s difficult to express myself at this moment but I can definitely say my heart is filled with gratitude and appreciation. I want to thank all of you who have stood by me during the toughest stretch of my life. It has meant the world to me and always will. But now is the time to shift the focus front and center to the road ahead. Greatness is what I’m chasing and the path to reclaiming my throne is now officially open. Comeback Season begins now.”
