Marc-Andre Barriault tests positive for ostarine, denies intentional use

UFC middleweight Marc-Andre Barriault has tested positive for ostarine, but maintains he didn’t knowingly ingest the banned substance.

Barriault failed a drug test surrounding his June 20 knockout win over Oskar Piechota.

Nevada Commission extended the suspension for UFC fighter Marc-Andre Barriault after he tested positive for ostarine surrounding his recent fight on June 20. #UFC

— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) August 5, 2020

“Nevada Commission extended the suspension for UFC fighter Marc-Andre Barriault after he tested positive for ostarine surrounding his recent fight on June 20.”

Barriault has already issued a statement on this issue, maintaining his innocence and assuring he will work with the NSAC to uncover the cause of his failed test.

“Following a communication from the Nevada State Athletic Commission last week, I wanted to clarify the current situation to all my fans, the medias and everybody involved in the sport of mixed martial arts,” Barriault wrote (via Yahoo! Sports). “I was notified last week that an in-competition sample that I provided to the NSAC the night of my last fight on June 20th, 2020 was positive for an extremely low level (approximately 190 picograms or 190 parts per trillion) of the prohibited substance, Ostarine. First and foremost, I want to make things crystal clear, I did not intentionally use Ostarine, nor have I ever knowingly used any prohibited substance in my career. Since the beginning of my professional career, I have been tested three times by the Quebec athletic commission, and a total of seven times under the UFC/USADA program and have always tested negative.

“Since I found out about this last week, I have learned quite a bit about Ostarine, specifically that it is commonly found as a low-level contaminant in certain dietary supplements, often at levels that provide absolutely no performance enhancing benefit,” Barriault added. “I strongly believe that a supplement contaminant is the reason for my low-level positive, and I am actively working with the UFC on reviewing and testing supplements that I have used prior to my June 20th fight, in the hope of identifying the culprit.

“While I am extremely disappointed in this development, I am looking forward to finding a definitive explanation for my low-level positive test, to fully cooperating with the NSAC and to getting back to work in the Octagon soon.”