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Former heavyweight kickboxing champion Alistair Overeem has been suspended for 12 months after failing a drug test administered by GLORY Kickboxing following his match against long-time rival Badr Hari back in October 2022 at GLORY Collision 4 in Arnhem, Netherlands.
During their third encounter, Overeem decisively beat Hari. Due to the failing drug test, the result has since been reversed into a no-contest.
Overeem screened positive for a chemical that is prohibited, but the precise drug that was discovered in his body has not yet been made public. When Overeem's A and B samples were tested, the findings were positive, and GLORY, therefore, punished him. According to GLORY authority's press release:
Alistair Overeem has been removed from the GLORY rankings and his fight again Badr Hari is ruled a “No Contest” due to a violation of GLORY’s anti-doping rules. His suspension is for 12 months, starting at his last fight – COLLISION 4. And he must return a percentage of his wages.
After leaving the UFC in early 2021, Overeem's fight against Hari marked his return to competitive combat sports. Also, it was his first professional kickboxing match following defeating Peter Aerts in Japan's 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix.
Also, Overeem had previously failed a drug test before. Before being disqualified for having an abnormal testosterone ratio, Overeem was scheduled to face Junior dos Santos, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, at UFC 146 in 2012. Frank Mir took Overeem's spot in the championship battle after Overeem withdrew.
As the sport of kickboxing continues to grow and evolve, it will be critical for organizations like GLORY to remain vigilant in their efforts to detect and prevent doping. Only by working together can the sport continue to thrive and maintain its integrity.
Concerning the positive drug test and his ban, Overeem kept a low profile as of now. But it looks like the anti-doping failure and ban could lead to the conclusion of the 42-year-old's career with the kickboxing company.
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