CB Dollaway suspended two years by USADA after testing positive for multiple banned substances

Veteran UFC fighter C.B. Dollaway has been suspended for two years by USADA after testing positive for multiple banned substances.

USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) officials announced the news on Monday after Dollaway was punished in accordance to the UFC’s anti-doping policy.

“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.

“Dollaway also tested positive for clomiphene in an out-of-competition urine sample collected on February 9, 2019.”

Anastrozole is typically used as a treatment for women suffering from breast cancer but in men in can be used to reduce the amount of estrogen produced in the body, which can be a side effect of using other drugs such as steroids or testosterone.

GHRP-2 or pralmorelin is a synthetically produced growth hormone, which can be used to increase endurance as well as numerous other performance enhancing benefits.

Clomiphene has become a common drug found in numerous failed tests with past UFC athletes including Brock Lesnar and Jon Jones. Clomiphene is another drug typically used by women but can be used to spike testosterone production in men.

Dollaway was also busted for using an IV over the allowed limit by athletes competing in the UFC.

“Dollaway received an over-the-limit intravenous (IV) infusion on December 13, 2018,” USADA officials stated. “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.”

While Dollaway failed multiple tests over a period of time, USADA ultimately based his suspension on the date of the original failure, which is what kicked off his period of ineligibility.

“Dollaway’s two positive tests and use of an over-the-limit IV were treated as a single, first violation because, after a thorough investigation, it was determined that the positive tests were consistent with ingestion prior to January 11, 2019, the date he received notification of his first positive test,” USADA officials said. “Dollaway’s two-year period of ineligibility began on December 13, 2018.”

That means Dolloway will not be eligible to return to action until after Dec. 13, 2020.

Dolloway hasn’t competed since September 2018 when he suffered a TKO loss to Khalid Murtazaliev in Russia, which stopped his two-fight win streak. Now he will be forced to sit out until late 2020 when he’s allowed to compete again.

Following the announcement of his suspension, Dollaway issued a statement of his own saying that he never knowingly ingested any of the banned substances that showed up in his drug tests.

“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. “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 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.”

The back injury referenced by Dollaway happened back in 2016 when he was involved in an elevator accident with several other fighters competing at UFC 203 in Cleveland. Dollaway later stated he suffered permanent damage from the injuries and he later filed a lawsuit that is still pending.