Sean O’Malley accepts retroactive six-month suspension from USADA

UFC bantamweight prospect Sean O’Malley has accepted a sanction by USADA for his second violation of the UFC anti-doping policy.

O’Malley accepted a six-month suspension retroactive to his positive test for ostarine last August. He is now free and cleared to fight Jose Quinonez at UFC 248, which takes place March 8 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

On its website, USADA explained what happened to O’Malley and why he received a six-month retroactive suspension.

“USADA announced today that Sean O’Malley, of Phoenix, Ariz., has tested positive for a prohibited substance and accepted a reduced six-month sanction, consistent with other supplement contamination cases, for his second anti-doping policy violation.

O’Malley, 25, tested positive for ostarine as the result of out-of-competition urine samples he provided on August 6, 2019 and August 12, 2019. His two positives, as well as additional positives collected after August 12, 2019, were treated as a single violation because the estimated concentration of ostarine in the urine samples was consistent with ingestion prior to August 29, 2019, the date O’Malley received notification of his second violation. In addition, the pattern of low urinary ostarine concentrations observed in multiple samples provided by O’Malley was consistent with exposure to ostarine as a contaminant. Ostarine is a non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents and prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy and UFC Prohibited List.

After a thorough investigation into O’Malley’s positive tests, including extensive follow-up testing, his agreement to keep a food log, his increased level of care in selecting supplements, and finding no evidence of intentional use, USADA resolved O’Malley’s case with a six-month period of ineligibility. O’Malley’s period of ineligibility began on August 6, 2019, the date his positive sample was collected.”

O’Malley was one of the most promising prospects from the first season of Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017 and picked up wins over Terrion Ware and Andre Soukhamthath in his first two UFC bouts. However, he has not competed since March 2018 due to various run-ins with USADA, missing two years of his prime to suspensions. But he is still only 25 and as long as he can stay in USADA’s good books, appears poised to make a serious run for the UFC bantamweight belt in 2020.

How excited are you to see Sean O’Malley return to the Octagon when he takes on Jose Quinonez at UFC 248 in Las Vegas?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 1/10/2020.