(Go get some fluids Bay-bee Jay!!)
BJ Penn’s comeback has been squashed before it could even begin, Nation.
Just 11 days out from his mildly-anticipated showdown with Cole Miller at UFC 199, Penn has been forced off the card after disclosing the use of a banned IV during training camp. Both the UFC and Penn have subsequently released official statements on the matter, which you can check out after the jump.
First, the UFC’s statement:
“The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) informed BJ Penn of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation. Penn disclosed the usage of a prohibited method – the use of an IV in excess of 50 ML in a six-hour period – during a March 25, 2016, out-of-competition sample collection. In accordance with the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, Penn has received a provisional suspension, and has been removed from his scheduled bout against Cole Miller on June 4 in Los Angeles.”
“UFC will announce a replacement opponent for Miller shortly, and additional information will be provided by USADA and UFC at the appropriate time as the process involving Penn moves forward.”
Penn, meanwhile, took to his website to diclose exactly what went down.
“I voluntarily disclosed to USADA that during a non-fight period that I had an IV administered under the care of a doctor,” wrote Penn.
“The rule for IV usage had changed since my last fight in the UFC and was unaware of the change and voluntarily disclosed the information to USADA. I had no idea that IV use was banned 365 days a year. At no time in my career in martial arts have I ever doped and anticipate all test results from USADA will come back clean and will be working with the UFC to get the matter cleared up and return to fight as soon as possible.”
Obviously, this latest bust raises a lot of questions, the most prominent being, if Penn had voluntarily disclosed a violation back in March, then why the f*ck did USADA wait until the end of May to pull him from the card? We’ll be sure to keep you updated as to Penn’s potential punishment and Miller’s replacement as details are made available, but in the meantime, this:
— caposa (@GrabakaHitman) May 24, 2016
The post MotIVated Penn: USADA Violation Knocks BJ Penn Out of UFC 199 appeared first on Cagepotato.