UFC OFFICIALS ARE searching for a new opponent for Cole Miller at UFC 199 after announcing that BJ Penn has been removed from the 4 June bout in Inglewood, California.
Penn, the organisation’s iconic former lightweight and welterweight champion, was due to return to the octagon for the first time since a July 2014 loss to Frankie Edgar.
However, the 37-year-old Hawaiian’s comeback is now on hold after he notified the United States Anti-Doping Agency during a test on 25 March that he had used an IV [intravenous rehydration] in excess of the 50 millilitre limit within a six-hour period.
In conjunction with USADA, the UFC introduced a clampdown on IV use last October. However, given that he hasn’t fought in almost two years, Penn claimed in a statement released via his own website that he was oblivious to any wrongdoing.
“I voluntarily disclosed to USADA that during a non-fight period I had an IV administered under the care of a doctor,” Penn said. “The rule for IV usage had changed since my last fight in the UFC and I 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.”
Nevertheless, in keeping with the terms of their USADA-led anti-doping policy, the UFC have pulled Penn from next weekend’s meeting with Miller at UFC 199. In a statement released last night, the UFC explained:
The UFC organization was notified today that the US 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 25 March, 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 4 June 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.”
According to World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines, the use of IVs in excess of 50 millilitres in a six-hour period is prohibited — both in and out of competition — “except for those legitimately received during a hospital admission, surgical procedure, or as part of a diagnostic clinical investigation.”
Penn was originally due to face Dennis Siver at UFC 199 but Cole Miller was drafted in as a replacement less than a fortnight ago when Siver was forced to withdraw due to injury.
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