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USADA: Tom Lawlor ‘might have been eligible for a lower sanction’ had ostarine case come now

Tom Lawlor might have been the victim of bad timing, according to the UFC’s anti-doping partner.

The former UFC fighter was suspended two years by USADA for testing positive for the prohibited substance ostarine in February 2017. He was eligible to return in October 2018, but was released by the UFC prior to getting that opportunity.

Lawlor’s case has come up again this week, following the announcement that four UFC fighters were suspended just six months for testing positive for ostarine. The four cases — involving Sean O’Malley, Nicco Montaño, Augusto Mendes and Marvin Vettori — were not dissimilar to Lawlor’s situation: trace amounts of the substance that has rather frequently been found in tainted dietary supplements.