Kevin Lee has been temporarily suspended by USADA after testing positive for a banned stimulant around the time of his last fight with Daniel Rodriguez back in August.
Lee has since revealed that the reason for the positive test was that he has been taking medication to combat an adult ADHD diagnosis, and that he is still in negotiation with the NAC commission over the length of his suspension.
“I have tested over the limit allowed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in my most recent fight,” Lee stated on Instagram. “In 2018 I was diagnosed with Adult ADHD, it has always affected me. I did not discover real treatment for the diagnosis until 2020 when I was recovering from my double knee surgeries. I was prescribed Adderall from a doctor to improve my mental Health. I told representatives from USADA but did not apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption from the NSAC before my last fight. For that, I truly apologize to the UFC, the commission, my opponent, Dana White, the matchmakers, Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard, and the fans.
“It was never my intention to gain an athletic advantage. It was an attempt to conquer the severe anxiety I silently suffer from daily. I am actively cooperating with the Nevada Athletic Commission and expect to reach an agreement on a sanction. I will use this time to heal and come back stronger. Sorry for my lack of professionalism that lead to this disappointment, I’ll be back.”
Lee, a former interim lightweight title challenger who has struggled in recent times with only two wins from his last six fights, wasn’t finished there though as later in the day he made another post in which he opened up about his struggles with alcohol.
“I’ll just speak as a human not as a fighter right now,” Lee wrote. “I’ve been embarrassed these last few weeks since knowing this news would come out. I always knew my brain worked different than other people and I’ve tried to hide my whole life. Before I started taking medicine I spent a lot of my time drunk. I been scared knowing that the world would know exactly what’s wrong with me.
“But from now, fuck all that. I’m not embarrassed and I’m not hiding behind diagnosis’s and pills or alcohol or none of that no more. I haven’t been drunk for about a month (which is a lot for me outside of fight camp) and no more prescriptions. Not that I think they are wrong or harmful but this next stage of healing I need to be sober and connected with God. Making a post is holding me accountable, if there’s one person out there like me I’m with you.”
