Russian heavyweight Oleg Popov spoke to about the unscheduled doping controls introduced by the PFL league.
Popov, 32, became a finalist in the PFL Heavyweight Grand Prix and is expected to face Denis Goltsov in the near future, with the winner receiving $1 million. In 2023, the PFL acquired the Bellator promotion, continued to hold Grand Prix tournaments with a group stage and playoffs, and also introduced unscheduled doping tests for athletes. Previously, such tests were only used within the UFC promotion.
— The PFL conducts unscheduled doping controls for fighters. How often have you been tested and is it unusual that at the age of 30 you suddenly have to fill out an application and explain where you are?
– Yes, I will not lie, it is a little unusual, but in general there is nothing like that. It happens rather that I forget. I fill it for two months and only then I see notifications with reminders coming. And I start updating. They came to me twice in Krasnodar. Moreover, each time they tested it at tournaments before the fights. As soon as I arrived at the arena, they immediately told me: “Let’s go.”
— Is it exciting to take the test for the first time?
“But I never drank anything, I never even tried mildronate (the active ingredient is meldonium – ed.). Maybe if I had already tried something, I probably wouldn’t have even hidden it. He said: ‘Yes, I tried. But now I don’t try anymore,'” Popov told .
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Source : MatchTV
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
