Alexander Gustafsson’s Team Releases Statement On Jon Jones’ Latest Failure

Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was back in the news yesterday (Wed., January 23, 2019).

ests-positive-for-trace-amount-of-same-steroid-metabolite-in-vada-test/”>Jones was found to have tested positive for 33 picograms of the same longterm metabolite of anabolic steroid Turinabol in a Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) test. “Bones” tested positive in USADA-mandated drug tests in August, September, and December. The amounts were not enough to receive sanctions, however. They were enough to have UFC 232 moved from Las Vegas to Los Angeles at the last minute when the NSAC refused to license him.

The controversial MMA legend made it to the event. He won the title back by dominating Alexander Gustafsson. Jones was back yet again, and his USADA drug tests came back clean. But more controversy arose when he tested positive for VADA. The CSAC made him participate in the voluntary testing as a condition of being licensed for UFC 232.

Gus’ Team Responds

It’s fostered a sense of inconsistency in how the UFC conducts their drug testing and anti-doping program. The amount of steroid metabolites in Jones’ system may be minute. But many still claim he receives preferential treatment Not surprisingly, Gustafsson’s team is among the doubters of what’s going on. “The Mauler’s” manager Nima Safapour issued a statement to MMA Fighting claiming that Jones essentially received a use exemption. To him, it’s simply a mess.

You can read it here:

“The inconclusive and inconsistent results that are repeatedly occurring with Jon Jones, at the very least, should compel our industry to have a greater, deeper, and more impartial discussion about the legitimacy of Jon’s defense. Jon has gone out publicly boasting when some of his results come back negative. However, he remains silent when his test results come back positive. You can not have it both ways and cherry-pick the results that are favorable for you, and insist that we disregard the results that go against your interests.

“Jon has essentially received a use exemption on a strict liability violation. The science is not certain on the defense he has taken. Furthermore, science is always in a state of change. So the science we rely on today is different than the science we relied on from just a few years ago. It will probably change again going forward. Jones is also creating a precedent that will go beyond his personal interests in the sense that now other fighters will also seek use exemptions on a strict liability violation based on an issue that the science community is still divided on. It’s an absolute mess.”