MMA: 2 Fighters Fail Drug Tests
 

Rousimar Palhares and Joey Beltran Fail UFC on FX 6 Drug Tests

By Bleachersreport, January 10, 2013


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Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

According to MMAweekly.com, both Rousimar Palhares and Joey Beltran have failed their UFC on FX 6 drug tests.

Beltran tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone. His UFC on FX 6 win over Igor Pokrajac has been changed to a no-contest. He has also been hit with a nine-month suspension.

Had he not failed his drug test, the "win" over Pokrajac would've been Beltran's first light heavyweight victory in the UFC.

While Palhares didn't test positive for any anabolic steroids, his test did display elevated levels of testosterone—testosterone that didn't help him avoid a KO loss to Hector Lombard. Palhares, too, has been suspended for nine months.

UFC officials had this to say on the matter:

The UFC organization has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance-enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents.

Both athletes have agreed to serve a nine-month suspension retroactive to December 14. They must pass a drug test upon completion of the suspension before receiving clearance to compete again.

The UFC uncovering cheats shows they are capable of keeping their own house in order. After all, UFC on FX 6 took place in Australia, which means that drug testing was the work of UFC officials rather than of any athletic commission.

If the UFC plans to do even more work overseas, their testing will need to be stern and consistent. Catching two guilty fighters shows they have the abilities to do just that.

UPDATE:

Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports reports that Palhares' Testosterone/Epitestosterone ratio was over 9/1, well over the legal 4/1 limit.

Palhares himself has also issued a lengthy statement to MMAjunkie.com, saying, among other things, that he "never had the intention to cheat." However, Palhares didn't choose to fight the suspension issued by the UFC.

Beltran, too, denied the allegations against him. "I can say without a shadow of a doubt I did not inject Nandrolone into my body," he said via his Twitter account. He also vowed to figure out how he could've tested positive despite not taking the drug.

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