Khalil Rountree only has to sit out for two months after self-reporting a violation of UFC’s anti-doping policy, but that’s still enough time to prevent him from competing at UFC 303.
On Wednesday, UFC issued a statement via Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD, the promotion’s in house anti-doping program) announcing that Rountree has accepted a two-month sanction retroactive to May 4 after revealing that he took a supplement that contained a banned substance.
Rountree previously released his own statement confessing to accidentally ingesting DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone), an anabolic agent banned at all times for athletes, through a supplement he was taking. After informing UFC that he used a supplement with DHEA, he was temporarily suspended and removed from his fight against Jamahal Hill on June 29.
After Rountree reported his use of the supplement, he was tested and the sample collected came back positive for “the exogenous origin of 5a-androstanediol, 5b-androstanediol and androsterone, all metabolites of DHEA.”
“Rountree provided CSAD with shipping records, detailing that he received the supplement containing DHEA on May 2, 2024, just two days before he provided the May 4th sample,” UFC officials said in the statement. “Rountree also provided documentation from the owner of the clinic that sent him the supplement, reflecting that the company’s Brand Marketing Director sent Rountree some of the company’s ‘therapeutic blends’ supplements ‘without prior approval.’ The owner described the mistake as ‘a massive oversight on our part.’ The evidence reflects that as soon as Rountree realized the mistake, he immediately notified UFC personnel, who immediately passed the information along to CSAD.
“CSAD consulted with SMRTL (Sports Medicine Research Testing Laboratory), who informed that Rountree’s May 4th sample result was consistent with the above facts and that Rountree’s short-term use of DHEA in the doses present in the dietary supplement did not provide any significant performance benefits.”
Under UFC’s updated anti-doping policy, CSAD maintains “sole discretion” to hand down punishment for any violations, and Rountree’s suspension was ultimately reduced to just two months. His period of ineligibility was made retroactive to the day of his May 4 sample collection, which means he’ll be eligible to compete again after July 4.
Unfortunately, that’s a few days after UFC 303, so Rountree won’t be allowed to compete.
In addition to the punishment handed down by UFC, Rountree could face additional sanctions from the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) because his fight with Hill was scheduled to take place in Las Vegas.
Rountree has to wait until a future NAC meeting to find out if he’ll possibly deal with a longer suspension or potential fines as a result of his doping violation.
