UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley has received a six-month suspension from USADA following an investigation into a series of failed drugs tests.
The 25-year-old hasn’t fought since March 2018 amidst investigations into urine samples containing the prohibited substance Ostarine.
But it looks as though there’s now an end to O’Malley’s lengthy drug saga, as USADA have reached a verdict.
Unintentional
In a statement on their website, USADA said: “O’Malley, 25, tested positive for ostarine as the result of out-of-competition urine samples he provided on August 6, 2019 and August 12, 2019.”
“His two positives, as well as additional positives collected after August 12, 2019, were treated as a single violation because the estimated concentration of ostarine in the urine samples was consistent with ingestion prior to August 29, 2019, the date O’Malley received notification of his second violation.”
USADA also stated that the positive tests suggest the substance was ingested accidentally, clearling O’Malley of intentionally taking the banned ingredient.
The statement continued: “The pattern of low urinary ostarine concentrations observed in multiple samples provided by O’Malley was consistent with exposure to ostarine as a contaminant.”
“After a thorough investigation into O’Malley’s positive tests, including extensive follow-up testing, his agreement to keep a food log, his increased level of care in selecting supplements, and finding no evidence of intentional use, USADA resolved O’Malley’s case with a six-month period of ineligibility.”
Return to the Octagon
The sanction has been backdated to August 6 2019, when O’Malley provided his first positive sample.
That means the scheduled return to the Octagon for the Contender Series star can go ahead as planned as he looks to end his two year absence.
O’Malley is set to face Jose Quinonez on March 7 at UFC 248, and the suspension won’t affect the fight.
Troubled Past
O’Malley has a history of drug-testing issues, having been pulled from a number of fights in the past two years.
The Arizona fighter was initially pulled from UFC 229 in 2018 for a potential violation.
Another fight was booked for July 2019, but O’Malley was withdrawn once more following another flagged drug test.
His next fight was originally scheduled for February 8 at UFC 247, but was pushed back amidst the recent investigations.
A hot prospect when he arrived in the UFC, O’Malley will now look to get his career back on track.
(Featured image source: Instagram/ Sean O’Malley)