The immediate fighting future of troubled former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was on the line when “Bones” appeared before the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) to face potential punishment for his UFC 214 failure for anabolic steroid Turinabol.
Jones’ team presented a defense featuring an anti-doping expert, who was questioned by both sides of the argument and the commissioners.
After that, “Bones” made his own appearance, choosing to take the stance that he never knowingly took steroids and could therefore not guarantee a similar incident would not happen because he had never done anything wrong, denying all usage of performance-enhancing drugs throughout his otherwise decorated UFC career.
He appeared to take on the stance of being the victim rather than owning up and taking responsibility, something that may or may not have impacted his plight adversely, by claiming it was a “really crappy situation”:
“This situation is like really, really crappy,” Jones said. “I don’t understand how any of this happened and how it got in my system.
“Imagine being me. I have no clue how this happened. I’m just trying to figure it out just like everybody else.”
“Bones” maintained his innocence by stating he had changed even though his actions had not, saying that it was more USADA’s fault for his failures and would not knowingly take steroids the week before a fight after working to clear his name in the year before:
“Science has been kicking me in the ass.
“To purposely do steroids like a week before a fight and ruin all those months talking to all those kids, it would just be stupid,” Jones said. “I’m absolutely not the same person I was three years ago when I got into a hit-and-run car accident.”
After an extremely lengthy deliberation, Jones had his license revoked by a 6-0 vote by the commission.
In a confusing scenario, commissioner Howard Jacobs said Jones could come back this August, which would have meant his license was revoked by the state when he failed last August, but even that was under review, via ESPN’s Brett Okamoto:
Howard Jacobs finally offers (a bit) of clarity on WHEN the license revocation is applicable. He says by his understanding Jones could come back sometime in August. So, he's saying the license was already revoked last August. I'll find out if CSAC agrees, if they vote that way.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) February 27, 2018
He was also issued a $205,000 fine by the CSAC.
Jones will now have to appear before USADA to plead his case yet again, at which point he can return to California in an effort to prove he has been rehabilitated. With the CSAC grilling him extensively on all of his many past transgressions, however, that could be a monumental task – one that Jones doesn’t appear to be willing to own up to.
Clarity then came in the form of confirmation that Jones’ license had indeed been revoked on August 28, 2017, meaning he could reapply this August 28.
However, there’s no guarantee he gets that with USADA sanctions still a very probable possibility:
August 28 is the date Jones’ license was revoked. So he’s eligible to reapply this August. No guarantee he’ll get it. And USADA sanctions still possible.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) February 27, 2018
The sad ongoing saga of the best fighter in UFC history will continue, with the onus now on USADA to decide his fate.
Stay tuned, because this one may not end quickly.
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