Doctor Who Administered IVs to Paulo Costa Gets 2-Year USADA Suspension

The doctor who administered over-limit intravenous (IV) infusions to UFC middleweight contender Paulo Henrique Costa in 2017 has received a sanction from USADA.

The anti-doping agency announced Monday that Dr. Lucas Penchel of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, has accepted a two-year suspension for giving IVs of permitted substances to Costa and his training partner Carlos Costa.

“Dr. Penchel, like all athlete support personnel, was entrusted to help athletes make safe and informed decisions, but instead, he violated anti-doping rules and his oath to best protect athletes’ health and safety,” USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart said.

In June and November 2017, Paulo Costa required an IV to take medication for his stomach ahead of bouts at UFC 212 and UFC 217. In both instances, the IVs were administered within a 12-hour window of the UFC’s weigh-ins. Though the fighter did not receive any banned substances, IV infusions more than 50mL per six-hour period were prohibited without a therapeutic use exemption, and Costa did not apply for one.

The UFC’s anti-doping policy has since been changed to allow of more than 100 mL per 12-hour period “with the added exception of those determined to be medically justified and within the standard of care by a licensed physician and administered by a licensed medical professional.” Even with that amendment, the two IVs administered to Costa and his teammate were found to be in violation of the anti-doping policy.

Penchel’s two-year suspension began on March 17, the date he accepted his sanction. Penchel is banned from working with fighters as manager, coach, trainer, second, corner man, agent, or medical personnel. Paulo Costa and Carlos Costa each received six-month suspensions from USADA that were retroactive to August 2018.

Paulo Costa is expected to be the next challenger for reigning UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya at a future event.

The full USADA statement is as follows:

USADA announced today that Dr. Lucas Penchel, of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, has accepted a two-year sanction for a violation of the UFC® Anti-Doping Policy (UFC ADP) resulting from his complicity in the administration and use of over-limit intravenous (IV) infusions of permitted substances on June 2, 2017 and November 3, 2017 by Carlos Costa and Paulo Costa, respectively.

In 2017, IV infusions and/or injections of more than 50 mL per 6-hour period were prohibited except for those legitimately received in the course of hospital admissions, surgical procedures, or clinical investigations under the UFC ADP. The UFC ADP has since been amended and now prohibits IV infusions and/or injections of more than 100 mL per 12-hour period with the added exception of those determined to be medically justified and within the standard of care by a licensed physician and administered by a licensed medical professional. Applying the current rules, the 2017 infusions remain in violation of the UFC ADP.

During its investigation, USADA learned that Dr. Penchel recommended and prescribed the 2017 prohibited IV infusions. The UFC ADP applies to Athlete Support Personnel who are directly working with, treating, or assisting any UFC athlete in a professional or sport-related capacity. This includes, without limitation, acting as a manager, coach, trainer, second, corner man, agent, or medical personnel.

“Dr. Penchel, like all athlete support personnel, was entrusted to help athletes make safe and informed decisions, but instead, he violated anti-doping rules and his oath to best protect athletes’ health and safety,” said USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart.

Dr. Penchel’s two-year period of ineligibility began on March 17, 2020, the date he accepted his sanction.