Former UFC champion and MMA legend BJ Penn has made a startling revelation about his health during his combat career, disclosing for the first time that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease while still actively competing in the octagon.
The revelation emerged through Penn’s recent social media posts, where he connected his neurological diagnosis to a controversial anti-d*ping violation he received in 2016. According to Penn, brain specialists had informed him of his Parkinson’s condition and “forced him to take a glutathione IV” as part of his treatment regimen.
This disclosure provides new context to Penn’s 2016 USADA violation, for which he received a six-month suspension. The official USADA statement from June 27, 2016, indicated that Penn had declared the use of an intravenous infusion during an out-of-competition test on March 25, 2016. The investigation revealed that the IV infusion exceeded the permitted volume of 50 mL within a six-hour period, which violated UFC’s anti-doping policy.
At the time, Penn was 37 years old and “voluntarily disclosed his use of the intravenous infusion and fully cooperated with USADA’s investigation.” The organization noted that the standard suspension period was reduced due to Penn’s voluntary admission and cooperation, ultimately resulting in the six-month sanction.
Penn’s account suggests that what appeared to be a routine anti-d*ping violation was actually connected to medical treatment for a serious neurological condition. He has expressed frustration with how the situation was handled, claiming that UFC anti-d*ping head Jeff Novitsky “tried to make BJ Penn look like a dirty athlete like he did steroids for a glutathione IV.”
The timing of Penn’s diagnosis would place it during the latter stages of his UFC career, potentially affecting his final performances in the octagon. Penn has also mentioned difficulties with his nutrition team during his retirement bout, describing how his nutritionist failed to appear on fight day, leaving him “looking as emaciated as a stick with teeth” for what would be his final UFC appearance.
Currently, the 46-year-old Penn faces legal challenges unrelated to his combat career. He is dealing with ongoing family court proceedings and has multiple misdemeanor trials scheduled for October and November in Hawaii, where he remains free on $2,000 bail.
