Volkan Oezdemir has broken his silence on exactly how a banned substance ended up in his system, saying a man he believed to be a medical professional injected him with EPO.
In a lengthy Instagram statement, the former UFC light heavyweight title challenger detailed his cooperation with anti-doping authorities and framed the episode as a warning for other fighters.
Oezdemir tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) in out-of-competition blood and urine samples collected in Switzerland in February 2025.
He was formally notified of the adverse finding the following month and has accepted a 16-month suspension handed down by Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD), the UFC’s anti-doping partner.
The 36-year-old Swiss fighter placed the blame on his own judgment rather than passing it off. He said the substance was administered by someone who first approached him under the guise of a business deal.
In February, I tested positive for EPO, due to the influence of a person I believed to be a health professional,” Oezdemir wrote.
He approached me under the guise of a business opportunity, and organized a consultation at his office, where he proposed an EPO-based treatment and injected it himself.
