USADA announced today that Eduarda Neves Santanna, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has received a one-year sanction for a violation of the UFC® Anti-Doping Policy.
Neves Santanna, 23, tested positive for LGD-4033 and its metabolite dihydroxy-LGD-4033 as the result of a urine sample collected out-of-competition on January 10, 2020. LGD-4033 is a non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents and is prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy and UFC Prohibited List.
This case was resolved under the revised UFC Anti-Doping Policy and Prohibited List, announced on January 14, 2021. The UFC Prohibited List establishes a default one-year sanction for positive tests involving Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs), like LGD-4033, that are detected and reported at urinary concentrations within an established range. The revised Policy accounts for cases involving athletes who have been truthful and fully cooperated with USADA’s investigative process, tested supplement products and are still unable to conclusively establish the source of their positive test. In these cases, ingestion from a contaminated product cannot be ruled out as SARMs have commonly been found as declared and undeclared ingredients in many dietary supplements.
Neves Santanna’s one-year period of ineligibility began on January 10, 2020, the date her positive sample was collected.
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 (https://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 (https://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. Many of the resources available to athletes are provided in multiple languages, including Russian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Korean, and Japanese.
Along with education and testing, robust anti-doping programs enable investigations stemming from tips and whistleblowers. USADA makes available a number of ways to report the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs in sport in an effort to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition. Any tip can be reported using the USADA Play Clean Tip Center, by email at playclean@usada.org, by phone at 1 877-Play Clean (1-877-752-9253), or by mail.
For more information or media inquiries, email media@usada.org.