MMA fighter Oleinik: “I took a course of meldonium for a month. Why not?”

Russian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Alexey Oleynik spoke about his experience using meldonium, which is included in the prohibited list of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Oleinik competed in the UFC from 2014 to 2022. On Friday, December 15, the 46-year-old athlete will fight with Brazilian Fernando Rodriguez at the RCC 17 tournament.

— After leaving the UFC, the American Anti-Doping Agency stopped testing you. Is there anything that you can now use to restore that was not possible before?

“I used what you’re talking about twice, when I had very serious injuries, when I had four operations on my leg, for example. And this was even before the UFC, I used growth hormone and testosterone for 3-4 months. And I didn’t see any effect. For some reason I was filled with about five kilograms of water, and that’s all, no special strength, no special endurance, aggression, desire to train. Therefore, I don’t think this will help in any way. I can drink some things like Mildronate now with peace of mind. I drink them in normal human quantities, but I don’t see the point in bothering and injecting myself with anything.

— So now you would hardly pass the USADA test?

– Well, I think so, because of the same meldonium, maybe, or because of something else made in the Soviet Union, I would not have passed. And I don’t accept anything other than this.

— Did you actually take a course of Mildronate as soon as you left the UFC?

– Yes, I took a course of it for a month, that’s all. Why not? All our athletes and ordinary people have been drinking it for several decades. And now he has become some kind of great doper,” the Match TV website quotes Oleynik.

Oleinik’s professional record in MMA is 60 wins, 17 losses and 1 draw (9–8 in the UFC).

Live broadcasts of mixed martial arts tournaments can be seen on the Match TV and Match! Fighter”, as well as on the websites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.