USADA, the UFC's anti-doping partner, said Friday it has suspended fighter Ovince Saint Preux for testing positive for a banned substance.
Saint Preux tested positive for a long-term metabolite of either androstenedione and/or testosterone, per a release.
It is Saint Preux's second violation of the UFC anti-doping policy. He is eligible to return in December.
Saint Preux's urine samples were collected June 17 and July 11. The two tests were combined into a single violation, as is typical of these situations.
During USADA's investigation, Saint Preux was able to provide a container of a dietary supplement he was using for analysis and 1-Androstenedione turned up in it, even though it was not listed on the label. Saint Preux's previous suspension, for three months, also came from prohibited substances in a contaminated supplement.
Due to the nature of the results, Saint Preux received a shortened suspension this time, as well. He would have been facing a two-year ban had he not been able to produce the contaminated product.
Saint Preux was not using a supplement certified by USADA and the UFC.
"Although Saint Preux was not using a Certified Supplement, he received a reduction to his period of ineligibility because he was able to prove that his positive test was caused by a contaminated product and the very low levels detected in the products would not have benefited his performance," the USADA release stated. "Given that this was his second violation, an increased period of ineligibility from what he received for his first violation was appropriate."
Saint Preux (26-17) is coming off a knockout loss to Philipe Lins in February. The 40-year-old Tennessee native has been in the UFC for 10 years, competing at light heavyweight and heavyweight, and once fought Jon Jones for the UFC interim light heavyweight title.
