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24 November 2025
The ITA confirms that mixed martial arts athlete Petru Buzdugan has been sanctioned with a four-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 sample of the athlete was collected by the ITA on 19 May 2024 in Vysoke Tatry (Slovakia) during an in-competition anti-doping control at the 2024 GAMMA European Championships and yielded an adverse analytical finding¹ for the prohibited substance meldonium.
Meldonium is a metabolic modulator originally developed to treat conditions caused by reduced blood flow, which may enhance athletic performance by increasing endurance, improving recovery, and reducing stress on the heart during high-intensity exercise.
On 31 July 2024, when notified about the case, the athlete was provisionally suspended with immediate effect.²
The athlete did not challenge the ADRV. Pursuant to article 7.10.2 and article 7.10.3 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 2024 until 30 July 2028 and the disqualification of competitive results from 19 May 2024 onwards.
Parties with a right to appeal may challenge the decisions before the appeal division of CAS in accordance with article 13.2.3 of the GAMMA ADR.
The ITA will not comment further on this case.
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.
² The information about the Provisional Suspension was publicly disclosed by the ITA shortly after its imposition: https://ita.sport/sanction/global-association-of-mixed-martial-arts-gamma/.
³ When an athlete does not challenge the assertion of an ADRV and does not request a hearing, anti-doping organisations have the possibility to issue a written decision sanctioning the athlete and imposing the applicable consequences without having to refer the case to a hearing panel. This is provided in articles 7.10.2 and 7.10.3 of the GAMMA anti-doping rules and article 8.3 of the World Anti-Doping Code.
