UFC's Yoel Romero awarded $27 million in tainted supplement lawsuit
MIKE BOHN | MMA JUNKIE | <amp-timeago cutoff="86400" class="author-box-timestamp time-ago i-amphtml-element i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined i-amphtml-layout" layout="responsive" height="18px" width="200px" datetime="2019-05-29T17:39:23.900Z" i-amphtml-layout="responsive" title="1:39 pm EDT May 29, 2019" style="display: inline; position: relative; line-height: 1.29; overflow: hidden !important;"><time datetime="2019-05-29T17:39:23.900Z">5 hours ago</time></amp-timeago>
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</amp-img> <a href="mailto:?subject=Detroit%20Free%20Press:%20UFC's%20Yoel%20Romero%20awarded%20$27%20million%20in%20tainted%20supplement%20lawsuit&body=From%20Detroit%20Free%20Press:%20%0D%0A%20UFC's%20Yoel%20Romero%20awarded%20$27%20million%20in%20tainted%20supplement%20lawsuit%20%0D%0A%20%20%0D%0A%0D%0A%20https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mma/2019/05/29/ufcs-yoel-romero-wins-tainted-supplement-lawsuit-awarded-27-million-in-damages/39523171/"><amp-img class="social-icon i-amphtml-element i-amphtml-layout-fixed i-amphtml-layout-size-defined i-amphtml-layout" layout="fixed" width="24px" height="24px" src="https://cpt-static.gannettdigital.com/universal-web-client/master/latest/gallium/themes/assets/amp/icons/icon-mail_24.svg" i-amphtml-layout="fixed" style="display: inline-block; position: relative; top: 2px; width: 24px; height: 24px; overflow: hidden !important;">
</amp-img>Yoel Romero's name has been further cleared of wrongdoing after a failed drug test from 2016 was proved to have stemmed from a tainted supplement.
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</amp-img>Romero (13-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) on Tuesday won a lawsuit based in New Jersey against Gold Star Performance Products with total damages of $27.45 million, according to Romero's agent, Abraham Kawa. The UFC middleweight sued the company after a failed drug test caused him to be suspended from competition by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
According to Romero's team, which includes attorney Howard Jacobs and Kawa, the breakdown of the damages was roughly $3 million for lost wages, $3 million for reputable harm and $3 million for emotional damage. The damages triple when a company is "found out to have committed consumer fraud," per the New Jersey "Consumer Fraud Act."
Romero shared his reaction to the news on social media (via Twitter):
<amp-twitter width="486" height="657" layout="responsive" data-tweetid="1133474290198880258" data-block-on-consent="" class="i-amphtml-element i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined i-amphtml-layout" i-amphtml-layout="responsive" i-amphtml-loading="done" style="display: block; position: relative; height: 228px; overflow: hidden !important;"><iframe src="https://d-14010193853794858196.ampproject.net/1905291911450/frame.html" name="{"host":"d-14010193853794858196.ampproject.net","type":"twitter","count":1,"attributes":{"tweetid":"1133474290198880258","blockOnConsent":"","width":486,"height":657,"_context":{"ampcontextVersion":"1905291911450","ampcontextFilepath":"https://3p.ampproject.net/1905291911450/ampcontext-v0.js","sourceUrl":"https://amp.freep.com/amp/39523171","referrer":"https://www.bing.com/search?q=Yoel+Romero+wins+lawsuit+&filters=tnTID%3a%226B1E0741-DE33-4ff6-8FB4-4953B8FC4DB4%22+tnVersion%3a%223019222%22+segment%3a%22popularnow.carousel%22+tnCol%3a%224%22+tnOrder%3a%223a774587-5c4d-41fa-88fa-5edb2d0a697d%22&efirst=2&FORM=HPNN01","canonicalUrl":"https://mmajunkie.com/2019/05/ufc-yoel-romero-awarded-27-million-dollars-tainted-supplement-lawsuit","pageViewId":"2667","location":{"href":"https://amp.freep.com/amp/39523171"},"startTime":1559172564095,"tagName":"AMP-TWITTER","mode":{"localDev":false,"development":false,"minified":true,"lite":false,"test":false,"version":"1905291911450","rtvVersion":"011905291911450"},"canary":false,"hidden":false,"initialLayoutRect":{"left":28,"top":1231,"width":358,"height":484},"initialIntersection":{"time":218,"rootBounds":{"left":0,"top":0,"width":422,"height":634,"bottom":634,"right":422,"x":0,"y":0},"boundingClientRect":{"left":28,"top":1231,"width":358,"height":484,"bottom":1715,"right":386,"x":28,"y":1231},"intersectionRect":{"left":0,"top":0,"width":0,"height":0,"bottom":0,"right":0,"x":0,"y":0},"intersectionRatio":0},"domFingerprint":"46852861","experimentToggles":{"pump-early-frame":true,"chunked-amp":true,"amp-force-prerender-visible-elements":false,"amp-list-load-more":true,"hidden-mutation-observer":true,"expAdsenseCanonical":false,"canary":false,"expAdsenseUnconditionedCanonical":false,"amp-story-v1":true,"ad-type-custom":true,"amp-list-viewport-resize":true,"no-sync-xhr-in-ads":true,"a4aProfilingRate":false,"version-locking":true,"amp-ad-ff-adx-ady":false,"amp-auto-ads-adsense-holdout":false,"as-use-attr-for-format":false,"blurry-placeholder":true,"font-display-swap":true,"amp-ima-video":true,"amp-playbuzz":true,"flexAdSlots":false,"amp-auto-lightbox":true,"amp-sidebar toolbar":true,"amp-auto-ads":true,"fixed-elements-in-lightbox":true,"amp-date-picker":true,"amp-access-iframe":true,"a4aFastFetchAdSenseLaunched":false,"doubleclickSraExp":false,"amp-apester-media":true,"doubleclickSraReportExcludedBlock":false,"amp-live-list-sorting":true,"linker-meta-opt-in":true,"ampdoc-closest":false,"amp-story-responsive-units":true,"amp-img-auto-sizes":true,"user-error-reporting":true,"ios-fixed-no-transfer":false,"expAdsenseA4A":false,"a4aFastFetchDoubleclickLaunched":false,"linker-form":true,"no-initial-intersection":true,"sandbox-ads":true},"sentinel":"0-8226308242588962024"},"type":"twitter"}}" width="486" height="657" allowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" allow="sync-xhr 'none';" sandbox="allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-forms allow-modals allow-pointer-lock allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts" data-amp-3p-sentinel="0-8226308242588962024" class="i-amphtml-fill-content i-amphtml-twitter-iframe" style="display: block; height: 0px; max-height: 100%; max-width: 100%; min-height: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 0px; margin: auto; position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; border-style: none;"></iframe>In February 2016, Romero was informed by USADA that he tested positive for the banned substance Ibutamoren. Facing a potential two-year suspension, Romero immediately claimed innocence and pointed to a tainted supplement for the issue</amp-twitter>
MIKE BOHN | MMA JUNKIE | <amp-timeago cutoff="86400" class="author-box-timestamp time-ago i-amphtml-element i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined i-amphtml-layout" layout="responsive" height="18px" width="200px" datetime="2019-05-29T17:39:23.900Z" i-amphtml-layout="responsive" title="1:39 pm EDT May 29, 2019" style="display: inline; position: relative; line-height: 1.29; overflow: hidden !important;"><time datetime="2019-05-29T17:39:23.900Z">5 hours ago</time></amp-timeago>
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According to Romero's team, which includes attorney Howard Jacobs and Kawa, the breakdown of the damages was roughly $3 million for lost wages, $3 million for reputable harm and $3 million for emotional damage. The damages triple when a company is "found out to have committed consumer fraud," per the New Jersey "Consumer Fraud Act."
Romero shared his reaction to the news on social media (via Twitter):
<amp-twitter width="486" height="657" layout="responsive" data-tweetid="1133474290198880258" data-block-on-consent="" class="i-amphtml-element i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined i-amphtml-layout" i-amphtml-layout="responsive" i-amphtml-loading="done" style="display: block; position: relative; height: 228px; overflow: hidden !important;"><iframe src="https://d-14010193853794858196.ampproject.net/1905291911450/frame.html" name="{"host":"d-14010193853794858196.ampproject.net","type":"twitter","count":1,"attributes":{"tweetid":"1133474290198880258","blockOnConsent":"","width":486,"height":657,"_context":{"ampcontextVersion":"1905291911450","ampcontextFilepath":"https://3p.ampproject.net/1905291911450/ampcontext-v0.js","sourceUrl":"https://amp.freep.com/amp/39523171","referrer":"https://www.bing.com/search?q=Yoel+Romero+wins+lawsuit+&filters=tnTID%3a%226B1E0741-DE33-4ff6-8FB4-4953B8FC4DB4%22+tnVersion%3a%223019222%22+segment%3a%22popularnow.carousel%22+tnCol%3a%224%22+tnOrder%3a%223a774587-5c4d-41fa-88fa-5edb2d0a697d%22&efirst=2&FORM=HPNN01","canonicalUrl":"https://mmajunkie.com/2019/05/ufc-yoel-romero-awarded-27-million-dollars-tainted-supplement-lawsuit","pageViewId":"2667","location":{"href":"https://amp.freep.com/amp/39523171"},"startTime":1559172564095,"tagName":"AMP-TWITTER","mode":{"localDev":false,"development":false,"minified":true,"lite":false,"test":false,"version":"1905291911450","rtvVersion":"011905291911450"},"canary":false,"hidden":false,"initialLayoutRect":{"left":28,"top":1231,"width":358,"height":484},"initialIntersection":{"time":218,"rootBounds":{"left":0,"top":0,"width":422,"height":634,"bottom":634,"right":422,"x":0,"y":0},"boundingClientRect":{"left":28,"top":1231,"width":358,"height":484,"bottom":1715,"right":386,"x":28,"y":1231},"intersectionRect":{"left":0,"top":0,"width":0,"height":0,"bottom":0,"right":0,"x":0,"y":0},"intersectionRatio":0},"domFingerprint":"46852861","experimentToggles":{"pump-early-frame":true,"chunked-amp":true,"amp-force-prerender-visible-elements":false,"amp-list-load-more":true,"hidden-mutation-observer":true,"expAdsenseCanonical":false,"canary":false,"expAdsenseUnconditionedCanonical":false,"amp-story-v1":true,"ad-type-custom":true,"amp-list-viewport-resize":true,"no-sync-xhr-in-ads":true,"a4aProfilingRate":false,"version-locking":true,"amp-ad-ff-adx-ady":false,"amp-auto-ads-adsense-holdout":false,"as-use-attr-for-format":false,"blurry-placeholder":true,"font-display-swap":true,"amp-ima-video":true,"amp-playbuzz":true,"flexAdSlots":false,"amp-auto-lightbox":true,"amp-sidebar toolbar":true,"amp-auto-ads":true,"fixed-elements-in-lightbox":true,"amp-date-picker":true,"amp-access-iframe":true,"a4aFastFetchAdSenseLaunched":false,"doubleclickSraExp":false,"amp-apester-media":true,"doubleclickSraReportExcludedBlock":false,"amp-live-list-sorting":true,"linker-meta-opt-in":true,"ampdoc-closest":false,"amp-story-responsive-units":true,"amp-img-auto-sizes":true,"user-error-reporting":true,"ios-fixed-no-transfer":false,"expAdsenseA4A":false,"a4aFastFetchDoubleclickLaunched":false,"linker-form":true,"no-initial-intersection":true,"sandbox-ads":true},"sentinel":"0-8226308242588962024"},"type":"twitter"}}" width="486" height="657" allowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" allow="sync-xhr 'none';" sandbox="allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-forms allow-modals allow-pointer-lock allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts" data-amp-3p-sentinel="0-8226308242588962024" class="i-amphtml-fill-content i-amphtml-twitter-iframe" style="display: block; height: 0px; max-height: 100%; max-width: 100%; min-height: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 0px; margin: auto; position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; border-style: none;"></iframe>In February 2016, Romero was informed by USADA that he tested positive for the banned substance Ibutamoren. Facing a potential two-year suspension, Romero immediately claimed innocence and pointed to a tainted supplement for the issue</amp-twitter>
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