CB Dollaway issues statement on USADA suspension

Yesterday afternoon, it was announced that UFC middleweight veteran CB Dollaway had been handed a two-year ban by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) after testing positive for multiple prohibited substances.

“USADA announced today that CB Dollaway of Gilbert, Ariz., has accepted a two-year sanction for a violation of the UFC^® Anti-Doping Policy after testing positive for multiple prohibited substances and using a prohibited method,” USADA’s press release read. 

“Dollaway, 35, tested positive for anastrozole, growth hormone releasing peptide 2 (GHRP-2 or pralmorelin), a metabolite of GHRP-2, and GHRP-6 as the result of an out-of-competition urine sample he provided on December 19, 2018. Anastrozole is a Specified Substance in the class of Hormone and Metabolic Modulators, while GHRP-2 and GHRP-6 are Specified Substances in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics. All of these substances are prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, which has adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.

“Dollaway also tested positive for clomiphene in an out-of-competition urine sample collected on February 9, 2019. Clomiphene is a Specified Substance in the category of Hormone and Metabolic Modulators and is prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy.

“Additionally, Dollaway received an over-the-limit intravenous (IV) infusion on December 13, 2018. IV infusions and/or injections of more than 100 mL per 12-hour period are prohibited, except for those legitimately received in the course of hospital treatments, surgical procedures, or clinical diagnostic investigations.”

Shortly after this unfortunate news surfaced, CB Dollaway issued a statement, assuring that he did not knowingly make these violations, but instead came in contact with these banned substances while undergoing a stem cell procedure in Mexico.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1o0AARBtkM/

“In light of the recent decision made by USADA to issue me a two year sanction, I want it to be very clear that I did not knowingly nor intentionally take any performance enhancing drugs,” Dollaway wrote on Instagram (via MMA News). “As many people close to me are aware, I suffered a serious back injury in 2016. With my insurance capped out, I needed to find (an) alternative solution if I wanted to continue to compete in mixed martial arts.,

“I traveled to Mexico to have a stem cell procedure done and ended up coming into contact with the mentioned substances. I am sorry to let my friends, family and fans down. I want to personally thank Donna Marcolini, the VP of health and performance of the UFC, for her assistance and for believing in me. I will take this time to continue working on my health and hopefully be ready to come back in 2020 as a healthy athlete/fighter for the first time since 2016.”

What do you make of this explanation from CB Dollaway?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 8/27/2019.