Walt Harris accepts four-month USADA suspension

Walt Harris’s business with the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the California State Athletic Commission has been resolved.

On Monday, the USADA announced that Harris has accepted a four-month suspension for a positive drug test tied to his recent fight against Andrei Arlovski at UFC 232 in Inglewood, California, on Dec. 29, 2018. This is identical to the four-month suspension given to Harris by the CSAC, who also fined the UFC heavyweight $4,000.

As the suspensions are retroactive to Dec. 29, 2018, Harris will be eligible to compete again by the end of April.

Harris’s in-competition test came in positive for LGD-4033, an anabolic agent that is prohibited year round under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy. Upon the initial announcement of this result by the CSAC back in February 2019, Harris’s split decision win over Arlovski was overturned to a no contest.

Per Monday’s USADA release, Harris cooperated by providing the agency “with information about a dietary supplement product he was using before and at the time of the relevant sample collection.” No prohibited substances including the one in question were listed on the label, but further analysis of “both the open and independently sourced, unopened containers of the product” found that LGD-4033 was present.

Thus, the product was considered to be contaminated. Under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, proof of contamination can result in a reduced sanction.