Khalil Rountree solely has to take a seat out for 2 months after self-reporting a violation of UFC’s anti-doping coverage, however that’s nonetheless sufficient time to forestall him from competing at UFC 303.
On Wednesday, UFC issued a press release by way of Fight Sports activities Anti-Doping (CSAD, the promotion’s in home anti-doping program) saying that Rountree has accepted a two-month sanction retroactive to Might 4 after revealing that he took a complement that contained a banned substance.
Rountree beforehand launched his personal assertion confessing to by accident ingesting DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone), an anabolic agent banned always for athletes, by means of a complement he was taking. After informing UFC that he used a complement with DHEA, he was briefly suspended and faraway from his combat towards Jamahal Hill on June 29.
After Rountree reported his use of the complement, he was examined and the pattern collected got here again constructive for “the exogenous origin of 5a-androstanediol, 5b-androstanediol and androsterone, all metabolites of DHEA.”
“Rountree offered CSAD with transport information, detailing that he obtained the complement containing DHEA on Might 2, 2024, simply two days earlier than he offered the Might 4th pattern,” UFC officers mentioned within the assertion. “Rountree additionally offered documentation from the proprietor of the clinic that despatched him the complement, reflecting that the corporate’s Model Advertising Director despatched Rountree a few of the firm’s ‘therapeutic blends’ dietary supplements ‘with out prior approval.’ The proprietor described the error as ‘a large oversight on our half.’ The proof displays that as quickly as Rountree realized the error, he instantly notified UFC personnel, who instantly handed the knowledge alongside to CSAD.
“CSAD consulted with SMRTL (Sports activities Drugs Analysis Testing Laboratory), who knowledgeable that Rountree’s Might 4th pattern consequence was according to the above information and that Rountree’s short-term use of DHEA within the doses current within the dietary complement didn’t present any vital efficiency advantages.”
Beneath UFC’s up to date anti-doping coverage, CSAD maintains “sole discretion” at hand down punishment for any violations, and Rountree’s suspension was in the end lowered to simply two months. His interval of ineligibility was made retroactive to the day of his Might 4 pattern assortment, which suggests he’ll be eligible to compete once more after July 4.
Sadly, that’s a number of days after UFC 303, so Rountree received’t be allowed to compete.
Along with the punishment handed down by UFC, Rountree might face extra sanctions from the Nevada Athletic Fee (NAC) as a result of his combat with Hill was scheduled to happen in Las Vegas.
Rountree has to attend till a future NAC assembly to seek out out if he’ll probably cope with an extended suspension or potential fines because of his doping violation.
