John Jones was found to have doping. John Jones failed a test for steroids. Jon Jones and doping: official reaction

Fighter Jon Jones ranks first in the UFC ranking (a sports organization that conducts mixed martial arts competitions, Los Angeles, USA), and is in first place even without taking into account the weight category. He's just the first - that's all. Sports analysts consider Jones the most exciting talent in the entire history of mixed martial arts (MMA). At the same time, he is one of the most undisciplined fighters - prone to illegal behavior and the use of prohibited substances.

Jon Jones recently competed in his first fight after serving a one-year doping suspension. The fighter defeated Daniel Cormier by knockout in the UFC 214 format meeting and again became the champion title holder

However, a little later it turned out that doping control found traces of drug use in Jones' blood turinabol- this is a substance that increases strength and stimulates growth muscle mass and speeds up recovery athletes after extreme stress.

Now Jones is predicted to lose his newly regained title and end his career prematurely. If his use of turinabol is confirmed, the fighter faces disqualification for a long 4 years. After such a pause, it will be difficult for Jones to enter the MMA ring again.

A little over a year ago, the fighter was caught using drugs that reduce the concentration of estrogen in the blood. Doctors are well aware that athletes take such substances after a course of steroids (including Turinabol).

Then Jones miraculously ensured that his disqualification lasted only a year - helped by the version that the athlete was using a drug to increase potency, which the fighter spoke about with tears in his eyes, calling journalists to a press conference.

The likelihood that Jones will be able to receive the minimum punishment this time tends to zero, since the athlete’s reputation is in last years It's only getting worse.

Let us remind you that before disqualification for antiestrogenic drugs Jones was serving another suspension for unlawful conduct.

In 2015, the athlete, while driving, crashed into a car in which there was a pregnant woman and fled the scene of the accident. Subsequently, the police found a pipe with traces of marijuana in Jones’ car and drew the appropriate conclusions

For MMA, the supposed forced retirement of such a talented fighter would be a big loss. After all, Jones holds the record for the most title defenses in the light heavyweight division, the record for the number of victories over UFC Hall of Famers, the record for the number of victories in the light heavyweight category, and other equally striking ones.

Failed a doping test. A sample taken from the fighter after the weigh-in for UFC 214, where he knocked out the champion, turned out to be positive Daniel Cormier and regained the title. The results of the analysis revealed traces of turinabol in Jones’s blood, a drug that has a positive effect on the growth of strength, muscle mass and the speed of recovery from heavy loads.

Background

This is not the first doping scandal involving Jones. A little over a year ago, right before UFC 200, John was already caught using illegal substances. Then the American’s tests showed the presence of anti-estrogenic drugs in the body. Their cheaters use them after a course of steroids (such as Turinabol) to improve the body's production of its own testosterone. Then Jones, who burst into tears at a special press conference, got himself a one-year disqualification with an “excuse” about potency medicine. And the scandalous fighter began to serve it just a couple of months after the previous one expired - a year before that, “Bones” was also suspended from performing in the cage due to a scandalous accident.

Let us recall that in 2015, shortly before defending the title from attacks Anthony Johnson, then-champion Jones was involved in a traffic accident: an athlete allegedly in a state of drug intoxication (this is evidenced by a pipe with traces of marijuana found in his glove compartment vehicle), in a rented car crashed into a car driven by a pregnant woman. The famous fighter, according to witnesses, hastily left the scene without bothering to check the condition of the injured woman.

Chemist. Jon Jones fails drug test again

UFC champion Jon Jones was caught doping again, and we remembered all the chemists, cheaters, alcoholics and other regime violators from the world of MMA.

Now what?

Definitely nothing good. Jon Jones, as a malicious repeat offender, faces a ban of up to four years, the title he won in the fight with Daniel Cormier will most likely return back to DC, and the result of their rematch will officially be changed to “failed.” If the fate of the culprit of the scandal is approximately clear, then the UFC light heavyweight remained in the care of a very dubious company: “killed” by the defeat of the 38-year-old ex-champion (or champion again) Daniel Cormier, who lost all title and challenger fights Alexander Gustafsson and unheralded upstart Volkan Ezdemir with three victories under his belt.

What's next?

Before we delve into the ever-murkier prospects of the most talented fighter in history, let's remember how great a fighting career is in a coma.

He entered the UFC in 2008 as an undefeated prospect. The young fighter won the first three fights without question, forcing experts to talk about himself as a real contender for the light heavyweight title. This is not surprising, given the style in which Jones destroyed what was considered a formidable gatekeeper at that time Stefan Bonnar. Then there was a controversial defeat by disqualification for illegal elbow strikes from Matt Hamill, another series of three confident victories and a replacement for the injured Rashad Evans in a championship fight with Maurice Rua. That evening, March 19, 2011, 23-year-old Jones smashed the star Shogun to pieces and became the youngest champion in UFC history. It seemed that the talent of the daring and young fighter by MMA standards was enough to become the main genius during the existence of the sport. For the first few years, everything was going exactly like this: the light heavyweight record for the number of defenses (8), the record for the most beaten former champions (6), the record for the most defeated UFC hall of famers (6) and the record for the most victories in the light heavyweight division ( 14) - Jones managed to do all this in less than five years!

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“If John ends up getting a two or three year ban, it could be career-ending for him. You talk about his legacy, but this seems to be the end of Jones' career.

How old is he now, 30 years old? The suspension will keep him inactive until he's 32 or 33, and when he returns, what can he do? Sad. I do not know what to say. Usually I can find the words, but not this time.”
This was said by Dana White, the UFC president, who has suffered a lot from the endless antics of his promotion’s difficult child. One of the main rivals in Jones’ career, Alexander Gustafsson, also agreed with White, and openly advised the American to hang up his gloves. And this is not at all a manifestation of gloating towards the guilty fighter, but a completely objective assessment of his prospects. After all, Jones already had his last chance in life, which he missed. And even if he finds the motivation to return to the cage after a long layoff, it is unlikely that he will be able to regain the lost trust of the fans.

“The UFC’s plan was to arrange a fight between Jones and Miocic, possibly in Detroit, in December of this year,” Dana White said, among other things, in a fresh interview. But, as you know, if you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.

Once again (and probably the last, since UFC President Dana White although he shows tolerance and a certain kind of tolerance towards cheaters in his league, his generous patience will sooner or later come to an end) found himself at the center of a doping scandal. The fans did not have time to enjoy his return to the octagon and the new championship title (Jones would return to fighting a year later and defeated the current champion Daniel Cormier), how Bones literally burned the last bridge of hope, bringing his once stellar career to a dead end.

Jones passed positive test on the steroid turinabol. The sample was taken before the fight with Cormier, and a few hours ago the test result became available to the public. The UFC, in turn, confirmed Jones' positive test in a statement published on the organization's official website. On the sherdog website, in the fighter’s profile, the fight against Cormier remains valid, although it is recognized as a no contest (it didn’t take place, it’s a matter of time).

Turinabol- anabolic and androgenic steroid, chemical name– chlorodehydromethyltestosterone. Its nature is quite close to methandrostenolone. It was developed as one of the products in a line of anabolic and androgenic drugs in East Germany, starting in the 60s of the last century. In those days, the Germans created a whole group of highly effective steroids, and Turinabol was one of them. It was produced in order to obtain a mixed version of oxandrolone and methandrostenolone, which would have a sufficient anabolic effect and a low likelihood of negative reactions.

It is worth noting that a year ago Jones was convicted of using cocaine. Then, repenting, the fighter underwent a rehabilitation course and was successfully amnestied by the UFC. In the context of the Jones doping situation, we decided to recall the most prominent violators of the sports regime from the world of mixed martial arts. He drank, smoked, got sick - it’s all about them.

Nick Diaz

Two months after the victory over Takanori Gomi The Nevada State Athletic Commission announced the presence of marijuana metabolites in Nick Diaz's blood. The fight was declared invalid, and the fighter was suspended from performances for six months. The commission ruled that the content of tetrahydrocannabinol in the athlete’s body was so high that it could affect the course of the fight. Diaz denied smoking marijuana before the fight. In February 2012, a student Caesar Gracie lost by unanimous decision Carlos Condit and was about to have a rematch, but was again caught using marijuana and received another disqualification - this time for a period of one year. The brash Californian is a living example of how you can break the rules, suffer defeats, be outside the top ten of the rankings and, despite this, get big fights. Diaz spent his last fight against the legendary Anderson Silva, losing to the Brazilian. However, post-match tests showed traces of anabolic steroids(Silva), and marijuana (Diaz). The fight was declared invalid.

Thiago Silva

Growing up in the Brazilian favelas, Thiago Silva dealt with drugs in one form or another from a young age. The first loud call that the brutal Brazilian had his own list of acceptable substances came in 2011, when on the eve of the fight with Quinton Jackson The same Nevada State Athletic Commission found that Silva had changed the urine sample. After a series of hearings, he was suspended from fighting, and his victory over Brandon Vera was overturned. Already in next year Silva defeated Stanislav Nedkov, but after the fight marijuana metabolites were found in the Brazilian’s blood. Traditionally, this was followed by a six-month disqualification and the cancellation of the winning result. Nevertheless, Silva managed to return to the cage and score two more victories, but after being arrested for threatening his wife and her coach with a weapon, he was fired from the organization. “He will never return to the UFC again,” Dana White said at the time. Unlike other statements, the promotion president keeps this promise.

Pat Healy

Before you meet Khabib Nurmagomedov, Pat Healy He fought 46 fights, winning 29 of them. The last fight, in which Bam Bam initially won, deserves attention Jim Miller by choke in the third round. However, later the marijuana scenario repeated itself. As a result, Healy lost all his prize money, his victory, and subsequently suffered four defeats and was fired from the UFC.

Matt Riddle

Another fighter who could not resist “Marya Ivanovna” was Matt Riddle. In 2012, Riddle defeated Chris Clements, and in 2013 – over Che Mills. If the first time the fighter got away with a 90-day disqualification, then after the second incident Riddle was fired because he was convicted of using prohibited substances twice within one year. In this case, there is a strong feeling of disappointment, since at the time of parting with the UFC he had one of the best indicators in the history of the organization in terms of defense against transfers to the ground and in terms of the total number of strikes thrown, but he was not destined to develop this success.

Chris Leben

One of the toughest and most spectacular UFC middleweights, Chris Leben, was first caught using illegal substances in 2008 after losing to Michael Bisping– then it was stanozolol. In 2011, oxycodone and oxymorphone were found in Leben’s body. Two disqualifications, amounting to a total of 21 months, did not benefit the athlete. As a result, Leben fought his last fight in 2013, losing by technical knockout Uriah Hall and ending his career with a series of four defeats in a row. After leaving, Leben said that most of his income was spent on drugs, however, after switching to coaching, the former fighter seemed to be able to get back on the right track.

Lyle Beerbohm

This Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt holder has little to show for his performances in major organizations, other than two defeats in Strikeforce. However, despite his 35 years, Beerbohm continues to perform, having successful story overcoming methamphetamine addiction. This was preceded by a break in relationships with loved ones, vagrancy and 18 months in prison for drug-related crimes.

Kurt McGee

This middleweight and then welterweight UFC fighter after school managed to become addicted to alcohol, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and other prohibited substances. The apogee of addiction was the case when, after an overdose, McGee was already declared dead, but, fortunately, he survived. Having started his way up working as a plumber, Kurt gradually began to engage in mixed martial arts, and in 2010 he won The Ultimate Fighter 11, after which he made his debut in the strongest league in the world.

Matt Brown

After overdosing on heroin, Matt Brown experienced a near-death experience that he considers one of the most significant events of his life, one that literally awakened him. Since then, the Immortal no longer touched narcotic substances and after seeing the fight Wanderlei Silva, he was inspired by mixed martial arts and decided to try his hand at this sport. Brown was one of the top ten UFC welterweights and could have qualified for a title fight if he had not lost to Robbie Lawler, and subsequently fell apart completely in fights with Hendricks, Maia, Ellenburg and Cerrone.

Russian fans of mixed style fighting know the most about this fighter. We remember the drunken brawl on the plane, the thwarted fight with Mirko Cro Cop, the accusation of sexual assault, the theft of the housekeeper’s passport, and a lot of awkward interviews and unflattering comments about other fighters that did not add anything good to AE’s reputation. It’s doubly disappointing that, based on his initial physical characteristics, Alexander could have made an excellent career as a fighter, but adherence to the regime turned out to be his weak side. At the moment, Alexander has taken the path of correction and is preparing to fight his first fight after returning to the big sport.

According to available information, Jones, who made a triumphant return to action after a year-long suspension for using estrogen blockers, this time failed a test for the anabolic steroid Turinabol.

"The United States Anti-Doping Agency has notified the UFC of a potential violation of the organization's anti-doping policy by Jon Jones, which was identified during competitive testing that took place on July 28 following the UFC 214 weigh-in," the UFC said in a statement. “USADA, as the independent administrator of the UFC's anti-doping policies, will review the results of the review and make an appropriate disciplinary decision in Jones' case. As always, we note that as part of the organization's anti-doping policy, each fighter has the right to a thorough and fair trial before any sanctions are imposed. The California State Athletic Commission also has jurisdiction in this matter because the drug test was taken the day before Jones' fight at UFC 214 in Anaheim, and USADA is ensuring that the CSAC receives all necessary information to make an appropriate judgment on the potential anti-doping violation. Additional Information the case will be provided at the appropriate time as the process progresses.”

As for Jon Jones himself, his manager, Malki Kawa, also released a statement saying that they plan to retest the drug samples to determine the validity of the results or the source of the contamination.

“We are all at a loss for words right now,” the statement reads. “John, his trainers, nutritionists, the entire camp have worked tirelessly and carefully over the last 12 months to avoid this situation. We will retest the drug samples to determine the validity of the results or the source of contamination. John is devastated by this news and we as a team will do everything we can to support him."

Let us recall that shortly before the UFC 200 tournament, in which he was supposed to have a unification fight with Daniel Cormier, Jon Jones was excluded from the participants of the anniversary event after estrogen blockers, clomiphene and letrozole were found in his doping test.

In professional sports, both substances are used to inhibit the conversion of testosterone into female sex hormones (estrogens), as well as to increase muscle mass. Often, the use of these antiestrogens is combined with the use of anabolic steroids, including the so-called “post-cycle therapy”.

During the proceedings in the arbitration court, where John Jones brought his case, the fighter admitted to using Cialis, which increases erectile function and libido, and laboratory test confirmed the presence of clomiphene and letrozole in the drug, which were found in the body of the light heavyweight. As a result, three arbitrators from the independent arbitration firm McLaren Global Sports Solutions considered Jon Jones' level of guilt to be "close to the maximum mark", and went beyond a verbal warning and a fine, setting the best fighter in the world the maximum punishment provided for in this case by the WADA disciplinary code. It is worth noting that this was the first precedent in UFC history when a fighter who failed the USADA test went to arbitration with his case.

And doping... Apparently, these words will go down in MMA history together. The US Anti-Doping Agency recently notified the UFC that the light heavyweight champion may have violated the organization's rules. The sample taken from Jones on the day of the weigh-in before the tournament turned out to be positive. This news literally blew up the MMA world, pushing even the confrontation between McGregor and Mayweather into the background. We offer you a full overview of the entire situation.

UPDATE! The “B” doping test also showed the presence of prohibited drugs in Jones’ blood. .

Jon Jones's doping history

All over the world, many fighters have been caught using banned substances. There is nothing new or surprising in this situation. But we are talking about the best fighter of all time and No. 1 in the P4P rating. For whom, moreover, this is not the first failure. Jon Jones and illegal drugs have an interesting relationship history, with plenty of interesting moments.

The first alarming signal was a positive test for cocaine, which “Bones” passed in December 2014. Despite the positive test, no sanctions were applied to Jones, since cocaine was not a substance prohibited for out-of-competition use. The champion escaped with public censure and a course of rehabilitation for drug addiction.

The second incident occurred last year and had more serious consequences. A few days before the anniversary UFC 200, which was supposed to headline the title rematch between Jones and John, “Bones” was removed from the fight due to again failed testing. This time in . As a result of the hearings, the ex-champion managed to prove that the substances entered his body by accident and were part of a potency enhancing product. As a result, Jones was suspended for a year and stripped of the interim champion title he held at that time.

The third episode happened quite recently. Little is known about him, but there is a possibility that he will end a great career. According to the Western resource TMZ, turinabol was found in Jones’ blood (steroids that are used to increase muscle mass and endurance, website note), but USADA officials have not yet confirmed this version.

Jon Jones and doping: official reaction

At this point, several statements from interested parties have already been released. The official UFC website published a standard communique in which it announced possible violation its anti-doping policy, and that it will guarantee Jon Jones a full and fair hearing in this matter. The fighter himself has not yet given comments either to news resources or on his social networks.

Andy Foster, California State Athletic Commission Commissioner:

“The California State Athletic Commission has been made aware of Jon Jones' test results and is reviewing the matter. The Commission takes the matter very seriously and will only take the necessary action after a thorough investigation. Like all fighters, Mr. Jones has every right to ensure that the procedure is carried out properly. The Commission will cooperate with the US Anti-Doping Agency to obtain relevant information."

Dana White, UFC President:

“I probably feel the same way you did when you heard about it. This is unthinkable. In my opinion, he is the best of those who competed in MMA. The best ever. This makes the situation even more frustrating. If he gets two or three years, it could be the end of his career. As far as his legacy goes, this may be the end of his career. Look at what could have been done, what he could have done. It's all sad. I do not even know what to say. I always know what to say, but not this time. Cormier's only loss has been to Jones throughout his career. He was a champion. He's a champion if Jones isn't."

Daniel Cormier, former UFC light heavyweight champion, Jones' main rival:

"WITHchoose the wrong wordsto explain how I feel now. After hearing all this news, I am disappointed. All this causes a lot of emotions. As athletes, we have the right to a proper investigation, and I will refrain from commenting further until I know exactly what happened. In my opinion, on July 29th I competed and lost. I think Jon Jones was better that day. I don't know what else to think. I don't believe that we will have to go through all this again. Let's see how everything turns out. Thanks to all my fans who support me through this. dark time. I love you all very much."

Malki Kawa, Jon Jones' manager

“At the moment we are all at a loss for words for this situation. John, his trainers, his nutritionists and his entire team have worked tirelessly all year to prevent this from happening. We will retest the samples to determine the authenticity of what happened or the sources of the prohibited substances. John is devastated by this news and we as a team must do everything we can to support him."

Consequences for Jones's career

As we noted above, Jon Jones and doping have a long and intimate history. The fighter has already proven to representatives of the athletic commission that he did not use prohibited substances to improve his athletic performance. However, this time everything will be much more complicated. There is no official confirmation yet, but the use of drugs like turinabol threatens a two-year disqualification, even if the athlete made a mistake the first time. In Jones' case, the sentence would be extended due to relapse, and the California Athletic Commission has a reputation for being tough. It was in this state that Alexander Shlemenko was disqualified for 3 years.

No matter how the trial turns out, Jones' legacy will always go hand in hand with the word "doping" and a huge amount of suspicion. In 3-4 years, the entire MMA world may change beyond recognition. And the light heavyweight division will now change for sure. Cormier will most likely retire, and the promotion will not be able to play the great rivalry card again. And new faces will see in Jones not an invincible champion, but an aged loser fighter who did not realize his greatest talent and tarnished his career.