Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was hoping for a reduced sentence in the doping case that caused an abrupt halt to his anticipate rematch with longtime rival Daniel Cormier in the main event of July 9’s UFC 200.
And many thought that ‘Bones’ would get just that, as his team insisted that his test failure for banned estrogen-blocking substances clomiphene and Letrozol was due to his ingestion of sexual performance enhancement drug Cialis. Indeed, two previously suspended UFC fighters in middleweight Yoel Romero and welterweight Tim Means were able to receive short six-month bans, yet it appears Jones wasn’t quite as fortunate.
News arrived last week that Jones and his team had finished their arbitration with USADA prior to his meeting with the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) this month, and his attorney Howard Jacobs revealed both sides were unable to come to an amicable settlement. Today we find out why, as Jones has been suspended for one full year dating back to July 9.
A fullly detailed description of the arbitration session, where Jones was found to have a “degree of fault in fact verged on the reckless,” can be read here. Apparently the troubled former champion answered precious few questions about his Cialis use, revealing only who had given him the drug and if it was for a sexual performance purposes.
Jones also did not receive the shorter six-month term Romero and Means did because their cases involved ingesting supplements which contained a banned substance not listed no the label, while Jones simply failed to disclose that he was taking Cialis in his pre-fight questionairre.
In summation, the arbitrators issued a stern decision for Jones’ case, seemingly focused on his nonchalant attitude for what he called a ‘dick pill’ and deeming it a warning for any and all professional fighters in similiar situations:
“On the evidence before the Panel, the Applicant is not a drug cheat. He did not know that the tablet he took contained prohibited substances or that those substances had the capacity to enhance sporting performance. However by his imprudent use of what he pungently referred to as a ‘dick pill’ he has not only lost a year of his career but an estimated nine million dollars. This outcome which he admits to be a wake-up call for him should serve as a warning to all others who participate in the same sport.”
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