Georgia’s Zviad Lazishvili is not having the best start to his UFC career. First, he loses his debut (which he took on short notice) and now he’s suffered a nine-month suspension due to a failed drug test. The Nevada Athletic Commission announced the suspension, plus fines totaling $1,800 ( plus a $326 prosecution fee.)
Now the UFC newcomer has taken to Instagram to explain what happened and to announce he will be appealing the decision.
In a post, written in Georgian and translated by Google Translate to English, Lazishvili says he was given drugs by a doctor to treat a hormone imbalance that he was told would not contain any banned substances.
“I have been struggling with traumas for the last 2 years and I have tried many methods of treatment, resulting in other problems,” he wrote. “As a result of insomnia and lack of energy, I underwent a test, which showed a hormonal imbalance. I have not tried any self-examination or self-medication; I officially asked my doctor to treat me under control. My main warning was that I am an athlete, I could have a fight at any time, I am undergoing very strict checks, so there should be no steroid or anything like that in the medication prescribed by my doctor. I was told – this would definitely be taken into account.”
Lazishvili is the first Georgian UFC fighter to be flagged for PED use.
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