The UFC have announced that Diego Brandao tested positive for marijuana metabolites following his UFC 195 loss to Brian Ortega on January 2nd.
“The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) informed Diego Brandao of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation involving Carboxy-Tetrahydrocannabinol (“Carboxy-THC”) which is a metabolite of marijuana and/or hashish, above the decision limit of 180 ng/mL, stemming from an in-competition sample collected following his fight on January 2, 2016 in Las Vegas.
“USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjudication of this case involving Brandao, as it relates to the UFC Anti-Doping Policy and future UFC participation. Because the Nevada State Athletic Commission was the regulatory body overseeing the fight in Las Vegas and has state licensing and jurisdiction over Brandao, USADA will work to ensure that the Commission has the necessary information to determine its proper judgment of Brandao’s potential anti-doping violation. Additional information will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.”
According to the UFC’s upgraded anti-doping policy which came into effect in July of 2015, Brandao should now face a one year suspension for his positive marijuana test, assuming NSAC agrees.
A couple of years ago the Nevada State Athletic Commission raised their cannabis testing threshold from 50 ng/mL to 150 ng/mL in order to give more leeway with regards to the drug, but Brandao still came in above that at 180 ng/ml.
