Jon Jones can’t change history, but he still feels a sense of vindication after he was branded a cheater due to positive drug tests that sidelined him for over one year and cost him a win over Daniel Cormier at UFC 214.
Jones explained that he feels “officially cleared”, a tweet he sent recently, was largely due the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s rules change. The ex-light heavyweight champ served a lengthy suspension following test results that showed trace amounts of oral turinabol — an anabolic steroid — in his system. He maintained his innocence throughout the process but was eventually suspended for 15 months by the UFC’s anti-doping partner.
Just over one year later, USADA announced major rules changes regarding the threshold levels for certain drugs that result in a test being flagged, which could lead to a potential punishment.
Based on the new thresholds set in 2019 at 0. 1 ng/mL for the long term metabolite (M3) in Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone (DHCMT, or oral turinabol) — the metabolite that flagged Jones — none of his prior samples would have been flagged as illegal.
“USADA has changed some of the rules regarding picogram levels and what’s allowed, and I’ve come to find out that all my findings were under the new legal limit, meaning I would have been cleared from every test I’ve ever taken,” Jones said during UFC 285 media day. “That means a lot to me.
“I’m grateful to be the athlete who fought the system, who could afford the lawyers and the scientists to prove my innocence. Although I’m not sure if I took the bullet or carried the cross, I know that I was the one who had to endure it. People considered me a cheater. If the same rules would have been in place back then, they would not have made it into the mainstream media. This would not have been possible. It would have been a close win against Daniel Cormier. This would be a knockout. KO win .”
Cormier was defeated by Jones in the 2017 Rematch. The California State Athletic Commission decided to cancel the match due to Cormier’s positive drug tests.
Under new rules Jones’s samples would have been examined by USADA. However, he wouldn’t be subject to any undue penalties unless it was determined that Jones used drugs in an intentional manner.
“I hope that we can make the no-contest win with these rules changes,” Jones stated about Cormier’s rematch. “That would mean a lot to me.
” I have nothing to do with USADA, or any other organization like it. It was something that we had to endure. It was a difficult process for me, and I am proud to have been the one who went through it. I’m glad I did because some of these younger fighters wouldn’t have been able to survive something like that. You would just have cut them, or they wouldn’t be able to afford lawyers and whatever .”
Jones’ 2017 positive in
Jones was not his first violation of anti-doping. Also, his record also showed a positive. He had another one from before UFC 200. In that case, he was tested for letrozole and clomiphene. These are banned substances according to USADA. He was subsequently suspended from the sport for one year.
Jones believes he is exonerated of the allegations that he used steroids despite his past.
Jones’s case, along with many other prominent incidents involving oral doping, including Major League Baseball athletes who were also subject to an additional rule change for doping violations in the sport, has changed how results and testing are perceived.
Jones may never get that no-contest changed on his record, but he is still happy that he battled to prove his innocence, which likely helped lead to the rules being amended.
” I took the bullet to support this sport for Major League Baseball and I’m happy that future fighters will not have to go through what I did,” Jones stated.
“It was hell being considered a steroid cheat, and I’m glad that people can see clearly now that I never was, and I feel set free.”
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/3/1/23621282/jon-jones-feels-exonerated-due-to-usada-rule-changes-after-being-branded-steroid-cheat?rand=96749
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