Overview
- Volkan Oezdemir publicly admitted on Instagram that he tested positive for erythropoietin and has accepted a 16-month period of ineligibility for violating the UFC Anti-Doping Policy.
- EPO was found in both urine and blood samples collected out of competition in Le Mouret, Switzerland, on February 16, 2026, and March 5, 2026, and CSAD says the ban began on the February 16 sample date.
- Oezdemir says a Switzerland-based healthcare professional approached him after his November 2025 fight, presented a vial described as 'safe and undetectable,' and he supplied text-message evidence showing that contact.
- Because Oezdemir provided extensive evidence and full cooperation, CSAD reduced the sanction, referred the case to WADA, and Swiss law enforcement interviewed him after WADA made contact.
- He will be eligible to return on June 17, 2027, a long absence that removes a veteran contender from the light-heavyweight picture and highlights risks athletes face when taking medical advice from unverified third parties.