USADA announced today that Carlos do Carmo Mota, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has accepted a two-year sanction for a violation of the UFC® Anti-Doping Policy.
Mota, 27, tested positive for meldonium as the result of a sample collected in-competition on October 29, 2022, and a sample collected out-of-competition on November 22, 2022. Because Mota was not yet notified of his first positive test when his second test was collected, the two positive tests are combined into a single violation. Meldonium is a non-Specified Substance in the category of Hormone and Metabolic Modulators and is prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy and the UFC Prohibited List.
Mota’s two-year period of ineligibility began on October 29, 2022, the date his first positive sample was collected. Mota’s positive test also falls under the jurisdiction of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which has resolved the case in accordance with its rules.
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. In an effort to aid UFC athletes, as well as their support team members, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on the UFC Anti-Doping Program website (https://UFC.USADA.org) regarding the testing process and prohibited substances, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements, as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs.
In addition, the agency manages a drug reference hotline, Drug Reference Online (https://UFC.GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions, and proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as the Prohibited List and periodic athlete alerts. Many of the resources available to athletes are provided in multiple languages, including Russian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Korean, and Japanese.
USADA makes available a number of ways to report the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs in sport in an effort to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition. Any tip can be reported using the USADA Play Clean Tip Center, by text at 87232 (“USADA”), by email at playclean@USADA.org, by phone at 1-877-Play Clean (1-877-752-9253), or by mail.
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