The drug test results have been returned for UFC on Fuel 9 in Sweden and another fighter has tested positive for use of marijuana resulting in a suspension handed down from the promotion.
UFC featherweight Robbie Peralta tested positive for marijuana metabolites following his unanimous decision loss to Akira Corassani at the event held in Sweden last month.
According to a release by the UFC, Peralta was the only fighter who tested positive out of the 26 fighters tested on the card.
“Peralta tested positive for marijuana metabolites following his bout. He has agreed to attend drug rehabilitation classes and will receive a 6-month suspension retroactive to the date of the event and must pass a drug test upon completion of the suspension before receiving clearance to compete again,” said UFC officials after suspending the featherweight fighter. “The results of his positive test will be reported to the official Association of Boxing Commissions record-keeper.”
Peralta joins UFC fighters such as Alex Caceres and Matt Riddle, who have also tested positive for using marijuana in 2013. Both fighters were suspended six months from the organization as well, although Riddle was released from the UFC following repeated offenses for using marijuana resulting in positive drug tests.
UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner spoke out recently during a meeting with the Nevada State Athletic Commission about marijuana’s inclusion on the banned substances list.
“Society is changing, it’s a different world now than when I was on the commission. States are legalizing marijuana and it’s becoming more and more of a problem with fighters testing positive and the metabolites,” Ratner stated during the meeting in late March. “I think it’s something that has to be discussed on a commission level now. Right now I just cannot believe that a performance enhancing drug and marijuana can be treated the same. It just doesn’t make sense to the world anymore and it’s something that has to be brought up.”
For now, marijuana does remain on the banned substances list, so any fighter who tests positive for the drug will be subject to at least a suspension handed down by state athletic commissions.
Peralta will be eligible to return to action after October 6, 2013, which is six months after the date of his fight in Sweden at UFC on Fuel 9.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.
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