Canadian fighter Jamie Herrington has been suspended from competing in MMA for four years and stripped of World Championships gold medal after failing a post-bout drug test.
After winning gold in the 145lb division in Las Vegas in 2015, Herrington had her ‘A’ sample tested which popped hot for amphetamine. She requested her ‘B’ sample be tested, but the results were the same leading to her ban from competition.
A statement from the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) this week reads: “Ms Herrington participated in a series of matches through the tournament and subsequently won the gold medal in her division. She was notified of, and submitted to, a no notice post-bout competition test collected by Drug Free Sport Inc., a recognized and certified testing agency based in the USA.
“The sample was submitted to the World Anti-Doping Agency Laboratory in Los Angeles, (UCLA), for analysis in accordance with the WADA International Standard for Laboratories and the WADA Prohibited List. The ‘A’ sample analysis showed a positive result for amphetamine, a prohibited substance under S6 of the World Anti-Doping Agency Code, and therefore a breach of IMMAF’s WADA compliant Anti-Doping Rules.
“The athlete was notified of the result on 3rd September 2015 and provisionally suspended from this date. At Ms Herrington’s request, her ‘B’ sample was also analyzed, but likewise presented a positive result for amphetamine.”
Herrington’s results from the 2015 IMMAF World Championships have been disqualified, resulting in the forfeiture of her gold medal, disqualification of her results and subsequent revision of medals in featherweight category. Right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport has not been taken up by the athlete.
