Brock Lesnar suspended one year for doping

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has been suspended for one year by USADA for failing two drug tests tied to July's UFC 200.

USADA announced the suspension Wednesday in a press release. He will be eligible to return to the UFC Octagon on July 15.

The 39-year-old tested positive for clomiphene. He also tested positive for its metabolite, 4-hydroxyclomiphene.

"USADA announced today that UFC® athlete, Brock Lesnar, of the Brooklyn Park, M.N., received a one-year sanction, pursuant to the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, after testing positive for a prohibited substance on two occasions," the USADA statement read.

"Lesnar, 39, tested positive for clomiphene and its metabolite, 4-hydroxyclomiphene, following an out-of-competition urine test conducted on June 28, 2016, and an in-competition urine test conducted on July 9, 2016, at UFC 200 in Las Vegas, Nev. Clomiphene is a prohibited substance in the category of Hormone and Metabolic Modulators and is prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, which has adopted the WADA Prohibited List."

Lesnar was suspended for a year by the Nevada Athletic Commission in December and also fined $250,000. The result of his victory against Mark Hunt in UFC 200 was overturned.

"Lesnar's one-year period of ineligibility began on July 15, 2016, the date on which he was provisionally suspended by USADA, and is identical in length to the sanction imposed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) on December 15, 2016," the USADA statement read. "In addition, the NSAC overturned Lesnar's victory at UFC 200 to a no-contest."

"Pursuant to the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, all UFC athletes serving a period of ineligibility for an anti-doping policy violation are required to remain in the USADA registered testing pool and make themselves available for testing in order to receive credit for time served under his or her sanction," the USADA statement read. "Furthermore, if an athlete retires during his or her period of ineligibility, the athlete's sanction will be tolled until such time the athlete notifies USADA of his or her return from retirement and once again makes him or herself available for no-advance-notice, out-of-competition testing."

Lesnar [5-3] retired in 2011, but came back for UFC 200. If he retires and come back again, his suspension will freeze until he returns.

He is set to take part in WWE's Royal Rumble on Jan. 29.