Ovince Saint Preux has been suspended for 6 months by USADA after testing positive for a banned substance for the 2nd time in his career.
OSP had been set to fight Ion Cutelaba on August 5th, but the bout was scrapped without explanation. Now the reason has been revealed as Saint Preux had tested positive for 3α-hydroxy-5α-androst-1-en-17-one, a long-term metabolite of 1-Androstenedione and/or 1-Testosterone on two separate occasions in June and July.
According to USADA, the 40-year-old OSP has successfully managed to reduce his suspension for this anti-doping violation to six months after being able to prove that he had inadvertently been using a tainted supplement, meaning that he’ll be eligible to compete again from December 17th.
“During an investigation into the circumstances of the positive test, Saint Preux provided a container of a product he was using for analysis at the World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory in Salt Lake City, Utah,” a statement from USADA reads. “Although no prohibited substances were listed on the supplement label, the analysis revealed that the product contained 1-Androstenedione, consistent with the metabolite for which Saint Preux tested positive. USADA was able to independently obtain a sealed container of the product from the same lot number and confirmed it was also contaminated. This product has been added to the High Risk List.
“Although Saint Preux was not using a Certified Supplement, he received a reduction to his period of ineligibility because he was able to prove that his positive test was caused by a contaminated product and the very low levels detected in the products would not have benefited his performance. Given that this was his second violation, an increased period of ineligibility from what he received for his first violation was appropriate.”
This is the second time that OSP has failed a USADA drug-test, having previously done so back in 2019. On that occasion OSP also used the tainted supplement argument to get his sentence reduced to 3 months.
