Jon Jones has always been adept at cleaning up his messes. His last doping incident resolved itself in a stunning manner.
Jon Jones was initially facing a 48-month suspension due to his positive test for turinabol, but that was reduced to just 18 months following arbitration.
Three months of that reduction were due to a small reduction in Jones’ degree of fault, and the arbitrator believing he did not deliberately intend to cheat, but thirty months were due to the so called “snitching” clause in the UFC’s anti-doping program.
USADA in its sole discretion may suspend all or part of the period of Ineligibility and other Consequences imposed in an individual case in which it has results management authority where the Athlete or other Person has provided Substantial Assistance to USADA or another Anti-Doping Organization, criminal authority or professional disciplinary body which results in: (i) USADA or another Anti-Doping Organization discovering or bringing forward an Anti-Doping Policy Violation by another Person and the information provided by the Person providing Substantial Assistance is made available to USADA, or (ii) which results in a criminal or disciplinary body discovering or bringing forward a criminal offense or the breach of professional rules committed by another Person and the information provided by the Person providing Substantial Assistance is made available to USADA. The extent to which the otherwise applicable period of Ineligibility and other Consequences imposed may be suspended shall be based on the seriousness of the Anti-Doping Policy Violation committed by the Athlete or other Person and the significance of the Substantial Assistance provided by the Athlete or other Person to the effort to eliminate doping in sport.
If the Athlete or other Person fails to continue to cooperate and to provide the complete and credible Substantial Assistance upon which a suspension of the period of Ineligibility or other Consequences was based, USADA shall reinstate the original period of Ineligibility and other Consequences.
This would imply Jones’ information provision is significant, as he received a greater reduction.
Jones promptly released a statement saying:
It’s difficult to express myself at this moment but I can definitely say my heart is filled with gratitude and appreciation. I want to thank all of you who have stood by me during the toughest stretch of my life. It has meant the world to me and always will. But now is the time to shift the focus front and center to the road ahead. Greatness is what I’m chasing and the path to reclaiming my throne is now officially open. Comeback Season begins now.
15 months. Such a random number that remarkably lines up with a certain main event-less show being held in Jon’s home state. Fantastic stuff. https://t.co/9g7KStwaY5
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) September 19, 2018
The ball keeps rolling. Spoke to a Gustafsson rep, and the current position is he could be ready to fight by UFC 230.
— Steven Marrocco (@MMAjunkieSteven) September 20, 2018
Thoughts?
Learn the secrets of the Turtle Guard from the world champion who has used it for decades to beat the best fighters on earth. It might sound completely nuts, but Eduardo Telles beats the Best Guys – From His Hands & Knees.. Get a copy of his new release The Turtle Guard Revisited. You can get it here from BJJ Fanatics!
