Yoel Romero and USADA reportedly reach deal on shorter suspension
It appears as though USADA may have acted prematurely in suggesting a two-year suspension for No. 1 UFC middleweight contender Yoel Romero recently. The wrestler supposedly tested positive for a banned substance after his December win over Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza.
USADA then recommended a multi-year suspension to its client and Romero's promoter, the UFC. Romero's team promptly announced plans to appeal the suspension however.
Now, MMAFighting's Ariel Helwani reports that USADA decided to settle with Romero's camp and recommend a lighter sentence instead of heading into an arbitration hearing. Romero would have been the first known UFC fighter to appeal a recommended USADA suspension, and this case could have served as a model for others who are said to have tested positive for banned substances.
USADA announced their suspension recommendation without making known what banned substance Romero had allegedly tested positive for. In Feb. Romero's manager, Malki Kawa, told The MMA Hour that their contention was that Romero wasn't at fault for whatever banned substance was in supplements he took.
"The substance has a label with a bunch of stuff on it," he said.
"None of that is illegal to take. What [Romero] got popped for is not on the label. So, it's obviously not his fault that he popped for this."
According to Helwani's report "USADA is expected to officially announce the shorter settlement suspension in the near future, and if all goes to plan, the 38-year-old Romero could be free to fight again in late summer."
We'll keep you posted with developments on this story as they become available.
