It was recently announced that Neil Magny was forced to withdraw from his scheduled co-main event showdown against Vicente Luque — which was set for this Saturday’s (May 18, 2019) UFC Fight Night 152 event in Rochester, N.Y., — for undisclosed reasons.
Now, Magny himself is explaining that a United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) violation is the reason he won’t be competing this weekend. The talented Welterweight took to social media to explain.
“As many of you know, I had to withdraw from my scheduled bout against Vicente Luque on Saturday, May 18th. I want to apologize to him, as I know how difficult it is to lose an opponent days out from a fight,” wrote Neil.
“Throughout my MMA career I have been very transparent. I am not afraid to admit when I am in the wrong. On Saturday, May 11, 2019, I received an email from USADA stating that I have failed an “out of competition drug test” due to the banned substance “Di-Hydroxy-LGD-4033”. I am fully cooperating with USADA to determine how this substance was found in the sample I provided them on May 5, 2019,” he continued.
“I have always been an advocate for the strict drug testing in the UFC, even to the extent of opting for my collected samples to be used for research purposes by USADA. I know without a doubt that I have done everything according to the standards set by USADA. I have faith in USADA that this situation will resolved in a timely manner and that I will be cleared of any wrong doing. To all of my fans and supporters, thank you. I assure you that I have not let you down.”
It truly is commendable for Magny to be so transparent given the fact that USADA has changed its policies and no longer announce violations until a thorough investigation is complete.
Now, all Neil can do is wait to see if USADA does indeed find a contaminated supplement as the root of the problem. As of this writing, no replacement has been found for Luque. UFC Fight Night 152 will be headlined by a a Welterweight showdown between Rafael dos Anjos and Kevin Lee.
To see who else is competing on the ESPN+ event click here.