USADA Suspends Rachael Ostovich After Failed Drug Test
Ostovich Suspended For Eight Months
Rachael Ostovich has been suspended by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
The UFC women’s flyweight failed a drug test for ostarine and GW1516 following an out-of-competition drug test administered earlier this year on January 3.
Ostovich identified a supplement that contained the banned substances, even though they were not listed on the supplement label. Even though those substances were confirmed with additional testing, she was still hit with a suspension. USADA adds that there was another banned substance on the label that Ostovich wasn’t aware of.
She was initially issued a one-year suspension, but saw four months reduced due to a provisional suspension faced last year due to an atypical finding that was being investigated by USADA. That investigation didn’t lead to any further sanctions so Ostovich was offered a four-month reduction.
“Although ostarine and GW1516 were not listed on the supplement label, the analysis revealed that the product contained ostarine and GW1516, the substances for which Ostovich tested positive,” USADA wrote in a statement. “The product label listed another prohibited substance, but Ostovich did not realize at the time that it was prohibited. Consistent with other cases with similar circumstances, USADA determined that a small reduction from the default two-year period of ineligibility was justified.
“Ostovich received an additional reduction to the otherwise applicable period of ineligibility for her Full and Complete Cooperation. Under the revised UFC (Anti-Doping Program) announced on November 25, 2019, a Full and Complete Cooperation reduction may be granted in the event that an athlete demonstrates that they did not intend to enhance their performance and provided full, prompt, and truthful responses and information to all reasonable inquiries and requests for information.”
Ostovich’s suspension is retroactive to January 3 and she will be able to compete once the eight months are up. She hasn’t competed since January last year when she suffered a submission defeat to Paige VanZant.
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