BJ Penn is caught in anti-doping and is out of UFC 199

BJ (photo) hasn't fought since July 2014. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

Member of the Ultimate Hall of Fame and retired for the second time, B.J. Penn will no longer make his return to the Octagon in June, as planned. The Hawaiian was caught in a surprise doping test by USADA and was removed from the fight against Cole Miller at UFC 199, on June 4th, in Los Angeles (USA).

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Penn showed performance-enhancing substances on his exam, but took more than the permitted dose of IV fluid (more than 50 ml in a six-hour interval. IV, as it is known, can help mask the use of other substances and it had also already been banned for rehydrating athletes the day before fights.The information was released through an official note on the UFC's official website.

“The UFC organization was notified today that USADA has informed B.J. Penn about a potential anti-doping violation. Penn was discovered using a prohibited method, the use of intravenous serum in doses above 50 ml in a period of six hours, in an out-of-competition test collected on March 25th. In accordance with anti-doping policy, Penn received a precautionary suspension and was removed from his fight against Cole Miller on June 4th in Los Angeles,” the statement said.

Furthermore, the organization also assured that it is looking for a new opponent to Cole Miller – who, in turn, was already Dennis Siver’s replacement. “The UFC will announce a replacement opponent for Miller shortly and additional information will be made available by USADA and the UFC at the appropriate time as the process involving Penn progresses,” the statement concluded.

B.J. Penn, whose professional record is 16 wins, ten defeats and two draws, guaranteed that he did not use doping substances and used the serum to mask them and publicly apologized. “I voluntarily notified USADA that, during a period out of competition, I used intravenous fluids under the care of a doctor. The IV rule has changed since my last fight in the UFC, I didn't know about this change and I had no idea that IVs were banned 365 days a year. Never in my career have I doped and I always anticipated that all USADA tests would come back clean. I am working with the UFC to clarify the situation and return to fighting as soon as possible”, said the fighter, on his official website.

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