Outside Source
Perennial Ultimate Fighting Championship contender Volkan Oezdemir made a statement on Instagram Friday revealing the news of his failed drug test. He does so prior to any statements from the organization or its anti-drug testing wing of Combat Sports Anti-Doping. In February, he failed an out-of-competition test for EPO. The Swiss athlete assumed full responsibility for his actions and explained in detail what took place in this unusual situation. The UFC and CSAD have yet to provide a public statement on the matter, but indicated to MMA Junkie that they worked alongside the World Anti-Doping Agency to review this matter.
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The former light heavyweight title challenger will be out of action for 16 months effective his failed testing date, with CSAD reducing his suspension from 18 months, two years or greater due to his alleged complete cooperation in handling the case. In his statements, Oezdemir indicated that he was approached by someone in the healthcare industry offering to improve his condition, and he unwittingly took banned substances.
I cooperated immediately; I did the same with CSAD
Oezdemir’s complete statement, written both in his native French and English with bolded portions for emphasis, was accompanied by a caption. In the brief caption, he wrote, “I have an announcement to make, and it’s a difficult one. I made a mistake, and I’ll explain why in the hope of helping other athletes.”
The 205er’s statement reads as follows:
“In February, I tested positive for EPO after following the recommendations of a healthcare professional. As an elite athlete, I am responsible for everything I put in my body. I made a mistake, and I take full responsibility for it.
“At the end of 2025, I competed in Qatar. A few days later, I was contacted on Instagram by a healthcare professional based in Switzerland. He introduced himself as a supporter and suggested that we meet. During our first meeting, he told me about his connections with influential people, investment opportunities in one of the Gulf states, and potential prospects for my career after retirement from the sport. He also mentioned the possibility of patronage. I was 36 years old and thinking about life after my sporting career, so I was interested.
“I was recovering from ankle surgery. The healthcare professional and I met again. The conversation shifted. He no longer talked about business, but about my recovery. He presented me with a plan that, according to him, would get me back to peak physical condition within two months. He showed me a substance that he described as safe and undetectable. He had prepared a vial of EPO. He told me not to tell anyone about it. I complied. I gave myself the first injection that same evening. That was my decision. And it was the biggest mistake of my life.
“Three days later, the Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) team came to my home to conduct an anti-doping test. On March 5, I was informed that my test had come back positive. In that moment, the illusion was shattered, and my reality changed. But in a way, it was also a relief.
“I decided to tell the UFC everything. I cooperated immediately. I did the same with CSAD. In the end, I received a 16-month suspension in light of my cooperation and the mitigating circumstances: a healthcare professional played a significant role; he initially approached me under the pretense of discussing business; he had prepared the substances himself and provided them to me free of charge.
“My independence has always been one of my strengths. I left home at a young age to live abroad. I built my career far from my family. I moved country to country to pursue my sport. I got used to dealing with problems on my own. But this time, it became a weakness. Today, I want to say to every athlete—especially those competing in individual sports—that isolation is a risk.
“I acknowledge what I did, and I take full responsibility for it. Every athlete is responsible for what they put into their body. I am sharing how this happened because I needed to understand my own actions. And because what happened to me could happen to other athletes. I let down my sport, my fans, and ultimately, myself. To everyone who has supported me—my family, my loved ones, and my supporters—I am deeply sorry.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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