Mirko 'Cro Cop' handed two-year suspension by USADA for hGH use
UFC heavyweight Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic has been suspended two years after admitting to using human growth hormone prior to his most recently scheduled fight against Anthony Hamilton at UFC Fight Night in South Korea.
UFC officials confirmed on Wednesday that the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) handed down the sanction after the Croatian heavyweight admitted to use following a pre-fight drug test.
"Filipovic, 41, admitted to the use, attempted use, and possession of human growth hormone ("hGH") following an out-of-competition test conducted on November 4, 2015 in Zagreb, Croatia," USADA officials announced in a statement.
"On the day he was tested, prior to any results being reported, Filipovic contacted the UFC to advise them that he had been using hGH in violation of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy. Thereafter, on November 9, 2015, Filipovic admitted to USADA as well that he had been using the prohibited substance."
Human growth hormone is a prohibited substance and banned from use at any time by athletes in the UFC.
Because “Cro Cop” admitted to the use of hGH his sanction was reduced to a two-year suspension rather than a potential four-year ban from fighting.
Neither of those figures may matter in the long run, however, as “Cro Cop” retired from mixed martial arts before the drug test result was even made public.
The former PRIDE Fighting veteran decided that with the injuries his body continued to endure that it was time to step away from competition and bring an end to his historic career. Filipovic was a PRIDE Fighting and K-1 champion, one of two fighters to win a world championship in kickboxing and MMA.
