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20 August 2025
The ITA reports that a sample collected during an in-competition testing mission on 22 June 2025 from Nihad Fozail Oglu Nihad, a mixed martial arts athlete from Azerbaijan, has returned an AAF¹ for the prohibited substance meldonium.
Meldonium is prohibited under the 2025 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.
The athlete has been informed of the case and has the right to request the analysis of the B-sample.
If the B-sample analysis is requested and confirms the result of the A-sample, the case will be considered as a confirmed anti-doping rule violation. If the B-sample analysis is not requested, the case will also go ahead as a confirmed anti-doping rule violation. The athlete will have the opportunity to present his explanations for the result.
Further, in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and Article 7.4.1 of the GAMMA Anti-Doping Rules, a mandatory provisional suspension has been imposed on the athlete. The athlete has the right to challenge the provisional suspension and ask for its lifting.
Pursuant to the GAMMA’s delegation of its anti-doping program to the ITA, the prosecution of the case is being handled entirely by the ITA. Given that the case is underway, there will be no further comments made.
¹ A report from a WADA-accredited laboratory that, consistent with the International Standard for Laboratories, establishes in a sample the presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers or evidence of the use of a prohibited method.
