Ian McCall Cleared of Potential Anti-Doping Policy Violation
USADA announced today that UFC® athlete Ian McCall, of Costa Mesa, Calif., has been granted a retroactive Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) and will therefore not face an anti-doping policy violation after receiving an intravenous infusion of a non-prohibited substance in February of 2017.
On February 10, 2017, McCall, 32, received an intravenous infusion of normal saline solution at the recommendation of his physician to treat an acute medical condition. At the time of the intravenous infusion, McCall was scheduled to compete at UFC 208 in Brooklyn, New York, on February 11, 2017, but he was subsequently removed from the card due to illness.
Although saline is not prohibited under the UFC Anti-Doping Program, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List, which has been adopted by the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, all intravenous infusions and/or injections of more than 50mL per 6-hour period are prohibited at all times unless the athlete obtains a TUE in advance, or if the infusion is legitimately received in the course of hospital admissions, surgical procedures, or clinical investigations.
After a thorough investigation of the circumstances surrounding the potential violation, which included the retroactive TUE application process, USADA determined that the athlete had a diagnosed acute medical condition for which the use of an intravenous infusion is consistent with the standard of care. Because McCall’s TUE application was granted retroactively, his use of a prohibited method will not result in an anti-doping policy violation.
USADA conducts the year-round, independent anti-doping program for all UFC athletes. USADA is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental agency whose sole mission is to preserve the integrity of competition, inspire true sport, and protect the rights of clean athletes. In an effort to aid UFC athletes, as well as their support team members, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on the UFC Anti-Doping Program website (UFC.USADA.org) regarding the testing process and prohibited substances, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs. In addition, the agency manages a drug reference hotline, Drug Reference Online (UFC.GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions, and proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as the Prohibited List, easy-reference wallet cards, and periodic athlete alerts.
