Jesse Ronson made his return to the UFC at UFC Fight Island 3, defeating Nicolas Dalby by first round submission.
However, that appearance at UFC Fight Island 3 could be his last for the foreseeable future, as the fighter claims he has been suspended by USADA for 20 months.
Ronson posted the following on Facebook:
“It is with great surprise, and sadness that I have to inform you that I have received a suspension from USADA for the detection of a banned substance in my sample provided to them during an out of competition test. This has turned my world upside down as it’s a 20-month suspension. I haven’t slept much and have been sick to my stomach as I would never knowingly or purposely take a banned substance.
“USADA has been working with me for the last few weeks trying to find the reason for my failed test as they (USADA) along with me and my team believe it’s from a tainted supplement.
“I am at a loss as all the other supplements I was taking at the time have been consumed and I cannot send them in for testing to prove my innocence. Despite the high cost of [$1,000] per supplement, I would send them all in to clear my name and get a lesser suspension if I could but I can’t.
“Those who really know me know I would never take such a thing, as UFC is my dream job and goal and I have sacrificed so much of my time and life to achieve this goal and knowing USADA is very efficient and can drug test you at anytime and anywhere (blood and urine samples collected) and you have to provide your whereabouts 24/7 so they can come test you whenever. I would never jeopardize this by taking a steroid.
“As a man of my word I strongly support the term, ‘If you’re caught and you did it man up to it. I did not knowingly or purposely take this banned substance.”
A short time after Ronson made his claims on Facebook, USADA issued a press release confirming that Ronson has been suspended for 20 months:
Jesse Ronson Accepts Sanction for Violation of UFC Anti-Doping Policy
USADA announced today that Jesse Ronson, of London, Ontario, Canada, has accepted a 20-month sanction for a violation of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy.
Ronson, 34, tested positive for metabolite of metandienone (18-nor-17β-hydroxymethyl-17α-methylandrosta-1,4,13-triene-3-one) as the result of a sample collected out-of-competition on July 22, 2020. Metandienone (also known as methandienone) is a non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents and is prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy and UFC Prohibited List.
Upon being added to the UFC Anti-Doping Program, athletes are required to declare all medications and supplements they have used in the previous 12 months. An athlete who declares the prior use of a prohibited substance will not be deemed to have committed a violation but, depending on the substance, may be required to refrain from competition for a period of at least six months and provide at least two negative samples. Ronson did not declare the use of metandienone on his onboarding declaration forms.
Ronson received a reduction to the period of ineligibility for his Full and Complete Cooperation under the revised UFC ADP announced on November 25, 2019.
Ronson’s 20-month period of ineligibility began on July 22, 2020, the date his positive sample was collected.
USADA conducts the year-round, independent anti-doping program for all UFC athletes. USADA is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental agency whose sole mission is to preserve the integrity of competition, inspire true sport, and protect the rights of clean athletes. In an effort to aid UFC athletes, as well as their support team members, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on the UFC Anti-Doping Program website (https:// UFC. USADA .org) regarding the testing process and prohibited substances, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements, as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs.
In addition, the agency manages a drug reference hotline, Drug Reference Online (https:// UFC. GlobalDRO .com), conducts educational sessions, and proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as the Prohibited List, easy-reference wallet cards, and periodic athlete alerts. Many of the resources available to athletes are provided in multiple languages, including Russian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Korean, and Japanese.
Along with education and testing, robust anti-doping programs enable investigations stemming from tips and whistleblowers. USADA makes available a number of ways to report the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs in sport in an effort to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition. Any tip can be reported using the USADA Play Clean Tip Center, by email at playclean @usada.org, by phone at 1 877-Play Clean (1-877-752-9253), or by mail.
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