George Sullivan flagged for potential doping violation while suspended for prior offense

UFC welterweight George Sullivan has been flagged for a potential doping violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collected on Jan. 14.

According to UFC officials, Sullivan was notified about the potential violation of the promotion's anti-doping policy by USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) after his drug test was flagged.

Sullivan is currently under a one-year suspension after he admitted to using a banned substance during a previous collection with USADA in 2016. At that time, Sullivan hadn't tested positive for the substance, but his admission to using a supplement with the banned product still led to a one-year suspension.

Sullivan's sanctions were set to be lifted at the end of January, and he was booked for a bout against Randy Brown at UFC 208 in Brooklyn on Feb. 11.

With this latest potential doping violation, Sullivan has been pulled from the fight and placed under a provisional suspension due to a second drug test being flagged.

"Sullivan is currently serving a one-year suspension under the UFC Anti-Doping Program, for his use of a product containing the prohibited substance Insulin Growth Factor -1 (IGF-1)," UFC officials said in a statement. "Sullivan was due to end his current suspension on January 31, 2017, and compete on the UFC 208 card in Brooklyn, New York, against Randy Brown.  However, USADA has provisionally suspended Sullivan based on the new potential anti-doping violation, and the UFC has removed Sullivan from the UFC 208 card.

"The UFC is currently seeking a replacement to face Randy Brown."

Sullivan took to Facebook to explain his side of the situation following this latest potential doping violation with USADA.

Sullivan is the first UFC fighter flagged for two potential doping violations, which could ultimately result in a stiffer penalty. Sullivan could face a much longer suspension due to the second doping offense, but every fighter is afforded an adjudication process when flagged for a potential violation.

Sullivan did not specify what banned substance was in his system and USADA is not allowed to reveal that information unless the fighter discloses it publicly or until after the adjudication process has been completed.

Sullivan last competed in the UFC in January 2016 when he lost by knockout to Alexander Yakovlev.