Chad Mendes Blames Failed Drug Test On Skin Cream

After testing positive for GHRP-6 (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hexapeptide), two-time featherweight title challenger Chad Mendes has been slapped with a two-year ban from the sport after violating the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s (USADA) anti-doping policy.

USADA issued the following statement on Mendes’ suspension:

USADA announced today that UFC athlete Chad Mendes, of Sacramento, Calif., has received a two-year sanction for an anti-doping policy violation after testing positive for a prohibited substance.

“Mendes, 31, tested positive for GHRP-6 (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hexapeptide) following an out-of-competition urine test conducted on May 17, 2016. GHRP-6 is a prohibited substance in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, which has adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.

Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptides are listed as Non-Specified Substances on the WADA Prohibited List. Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, the standard sanction for an anti-doping policy violation involving a Non-Specified Substance is a two-year period of ineligibility.

Mendes’ two-year period of ineligibility began on June 10, 2016, the date on which he received a provisional suspension. In addition, Mendes has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to May 17, 2016, the date of sample collection, including forfeiture of any title, ranking, purse or other compensation.

USADA conducts the year-round, independent anti-doping program for all UFC athletes. USADA is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental agency whose sole mission is to preserve the integrity of competition, inspire true sport, and protect the rights of clean athletes. The anti-doping program run by USADA for UFC athletes includes education, science and research, testing, and results management. Official UFC Anti-Doping Program information and athlete resources are available at UFC.USADA.org.”

Mendes would take to Twitter to accept fault for the violation, claiming he didn’t do his ‘homework’:

I didn't do my homework and that was a big mistake. I own it and I'm going to pay for it.

— chad mendes (@chadmendes) June 18, 2016

Bloody Elbow’s Nick Baldwin, however, caught up with Mendes recently, who claims the violation stemmed from a skin cream for plaque psoriasis:

Chad Mendes confirms what @NickUFC reported last week. His positive test came from a skin cream for plaque psoriasis pic.twitter.com/IdUKy66ymB

— Michael Hutchinson (@TheMikeyHutch) July 28, 2016

Mendes will be eligible to return to Octagon competition on May 17, 2018 once his suspension is officially lifted.