Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Ion Cutelaba, 24, of Chișinău, Moldova has accepted a six-month sanction, the United States Anti-Doping Agency announced on March 8, 2018. The Moldovan mixed martial artist declared the use of ozone therapy on his doping control paperwork during out-of-competition tests conducted on October 18, 2017 and October 19, 2017.
Ozone therapy is a treatment that can be administered in a variety of methods, some of which are prohibited under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, which has adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. Based on Cutelaba’s doping control paperwork, the USADA contacted him to request more information about the route of administration in order to establish whether the treatment was permissible.
Cutelaba’s physician subsequently provided documentation indicating that the treatment was administered on October 3, 2017 and October 17, 2017 in a prohibited manner as it involved a blood transfusion. The WADA Prohibited List prohibits the administration or reintroduction of blood or red blood cell products of any origin or quantity in the circulatory system unless a valid therapeutic use exemption has been obtained.
While Cutelaba was unaware of the violation and declared the treatment on his doping control paperwork, he was unable to refute the documentation provided. The USADA determined that a reduction to six months from the standard two-year period of ineligibility was an appropriate sanction under the rules for his violation.
Cutelaba’s six-month period of ineligibility began on November 3, 2017, the date he was provisionally suspended from competition. As a result of his violation, he was previously removed from the card for “UFC 217”, which was held in New York City, New York, United States on November 4, 2017.
Born and raised in Chișinău, Cuțelaba made his professional MMA debut on April 5, 2012 and his UFC debut on June 18, 2016. He holds a professional MMA record of 14 wins, 3 losses and 1 No Contest.
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