The saga of UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and the failed UFC 214 drug test continues to get stranger with each passing day.
Initial reports stated that the light heavyweight champion failed a second in competition drug test (first was prior to UFC 200) leading into his fight at UFC 214.
Jones was popped for an illegal substance known as turinabol, which can only be detected through a urine test.
However, according to two separate reports from Ariel Helwani and Shaun Al-Shatti of MMA Fighting, it was Jones who passed a post-fight blood test issued by USADA on the night of UFC 214.
Jon Jones passed his blood test right after UFC 214, according to multiple sources. This was 24 hours after the positive test. More coming.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 1, 2017
Al-Shatti is also stating that Jones had also passed two separate out of competition drug tests issued by USADA on July 6 and July 7, UFC 214 took place on July 29.
As was stated earlier, the substance known as turinabol can only be detected through a urine tests, so all the passed drug tests for Jones doesn’t clear him of using the illegal substance.
Andy Foster in the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) Executive Director and he is saying that the whole situation surrounding Jones doesn’t make any sense to him.
“This entire situation doesn’t make any sense to me,” Foster told MMA Junkie. “It just doesn’t.”
Also according to Foster, the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion was subjected to a steroid panel as part of the drug testing leading into the fight and if Jones was using any kind of illegal steroids, then it should’ve shown up on the panel.
“If you’re doing a steroid panel, then this drug is going to show up every time. The fact that it didn’t show up on (July 6 and 7) when he was tested before, that’s an indication that he was not on that drug at that time,” says Foster.
Even though Jones has a previous history with taking illegal substances, the CSAC Executive Director doesn’t want any kind of judgment passed on the fighter until the whole process is complete.
“At that point, one of two things is probably going on here: He’s either extremely careless, or he’s a cheater,” Foster said. “I know he’s already been extremely careless once in his career … but none of this makes any sense. That’s why I think it’s very important that we vet this and look at all the available evidence before we jump to conclusions and hang this guy out to dry.”
Either way, it looks like there is going to be more to this story than just a basic failed drug test scenario that we’ve seen countless times before.
