The ITA reports that MMA athlete Nihad Fozail Oglu Nihad has been sanctioned with a four-year period of ineligibility
The International Testing Agency (ITA), leading an independent anti-doping program for the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA), reports that athlete Nihad Fozail Oglu Nihad from Azerbaijan has been sanctioned with a four-year period of Ineligibility after testing positive for the Prohibited Substance Meldonium.
The ITA confirms that Nihad Fozail Oglu Nihad has been sanctioned with a 4-year period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) under article 2.1 and article 2.2 of the GAMMA Anti-Doping Rules (GAMMA ADR).
The athlete provided a sample to the ITA during an in-competition doping control on 22 June 2025 during the 2025 World MMA Championships in São Paulo, Brazil, which yielded an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF)¹ for meldonium.
Meldonium is prohibited under the WADA Prohibited List as S4 Hormone and Metabolic Modulators. It is also prohibited at all times (in- and out-of-competition) and classified as a non-specified substance. Meldonium may enhance sports performance by improving endurance and recovery through increased oxygen uptake and energy metabolism.
On 31 July 2025, when notified about the case, the athlete was provisionally suspended with immediate effect.²
The athlete did not challenge his ADRV. Pursuant to Article 8.3.3 of the GAMMA ADR, the ITA issued a sanctioning decision³ imposing the applicable consequences, namely a period of ineligibility of four years from 31 July 2025 until 30 July 2029 and the disqualification of his competitive results from 22 June 2025 onwards.
Parties with a right of appeal may challenge the decision before the appeals division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in accordance with article 13.2.3 of the GAMMA ADR.
The ITA will not comment further on this case.
The original press release can be found here: https://ita.sport/news/the-ita-reports-that-mma-athlete-nihad-fozail-oglu-nihad-has-been-sanctioned-with-a-four-year-period-of-ineligibility/
