Dana White and the UFC have been handed a setback as Khalil Rountree is out of the UFC 303 clash against Jamahal Hill. The fight was set to be the co-main event for Conor McGregor’s long-awaited return to the Octagon to face Michael Chandler on June 29 and could have possibly led to a title opportunity for Rountree.

In a post shared on social media, Rountree revealed that the circumstances behind his withdrawal from the event stemmed from a positive test for a banned substance in accordance with the UFC’s anti-doping protocols. As such, let’s explore all we know about the situation.

UFC in a bind as Khalil Rountree out of UFC 303

In a detailed post made on Instagram, Khalil Rountree stated, “I’m gutted to deliver this news to you all but I will not be fighting at UFC 303 due to consuming a banned substance, I did not do this intentionally and I am doing everything I can to get this situation taken care of.”

He further explained that he used a personalized supplement service from a trusted company. However, the company mistakenly sent him a supplement containing DHEA, which is prohibited under the UFC anti-doping policy. Only after taking it did he learn about the ingredients.

“I immediately contacted senior vice president of anti-doping compliance Jeff Novitzky and UFC vice president of anti-doping compliance Donna Marcolini upon receiving that information to inform them of this matter…” Rountree revealed, while emphasizing that his intention was not to cheat or enhance performance. Despite DHEA not being performance-enhancing, its presence has now led to his temporary suspension.

The full extent of Rountree’s punishment for this infraction is still unknown as we await more information about the situation and how the UFC decides to proceed. He ended his Instagram post by stating, “My sincerest apologies to you all and to Jamahal for this unfortunate series of events. This is a huge loss and an even bigger lesson.” However, he isn’t the first UFC fighter to go through the issues of consuming a supplement that contained DHEA.

Bobby Green was suspended for six months after DHEA incident in 2022

Ahead of his UFC 276 clash against Jim Miller in 2022, Bobby Green was forced to withdraw from the bout after he tested positive for DHEA due to a supplement he was taking. In a post shared on social media, Green had stated, “It’s not USADA’s fault; it’s my fault, I did wrong in this. I f**ed up and I’m taking responsibility…”

DHEA or dehydroepiandrosterone is a naturally occurring hormone in the human body that is produced by the adrenal glands. However, there is also a commercially available, artificially synthesized version that has some performance-enhancing uses. As such, the compound is banned for athletes both in and out of competition under the World Anti-Doping Agency or WADA’s banned substances list.

Green was served a 6-month suspension under USADA, but with the UFC’s new in-house anti-doping program now being conducted in association with the agency ‘Drug Free Sport’, it remains to be seen if Rountree will also be served with a similar ban to that of Green.

As fans await further details, this event serves as a reminder of the complexities and pitfalls athletes face in maintaining compliance with anti-doping regulations despite their attempts at abiding by the rules.