HILLBILLY
09-20-2010, 09:25 PM
Sonnen admitted that he had used an illegal performance enhancer prior to the middleweight championship.
Chael Sonnen tested positive for abnormally high levels of testosterone in his UFC 117 drug screening, California state athletic commission executive director George Dodd told media outlets on Monday afternoon, finally naming the substance that could subject Sonnen to a one-year suspension as well as a fine.
According to Dodd, who spoke to SI.com, Sonnen admitted to him during testing that he had used an illegal performance enhancer prior to the middleweight championship bout against Anderson Silva. Dodd did not name the specific drug Sonnen allegedly admitted to using.
The CSAC has yet to formally release an official statement on the matter, and neither Dodd nor Sonnen responded to attempts for comment by MMA Fighting.
Sonnen, a longshot underdog in the fight, squared off with longtime reigning champion Silva and surprisingly dominated him for more than four rounds before falling into a stunning, fight-ending triangle submission in the fifth. For his efforts, he had been scheduled to receive an immediate rematch. Now the CSAC suspension is likely to cost him another chance at the belt.
The 33-year-old Oregonian earned his title opportunity with three straight wins, besting Dan Miller, Yushin Okami and Nate Marquardt in succession, making him a somewhat unlikely challenger to Silva.
In the months between the time the fight was announced and it actually took place, Sonnen (24-11-1) hyped the fight incessantly, building it into a must-see attraction.
Sonnen also ran for political office during the stretch as well, handily winning a Republican primary for a state representative seat in House District 37, though he later withdrew from the general election race.
The usually outspoken star has been mum in the time since the positive test was first reported, and has yet to make any statement. Sonnen reportedly received formal notice of his test failure last Friday and has 30 days in which to file appeal.
CSAC drug testing was handled by the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory, the world's largest World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited sports drug-testing facility that has also handled anti-doping for the U.S. Olympic committee since 1985.
The actual SI.com article has a lot of interesting quotes from Dodd:
"He only indicated that he was taking it but he never indicated why," Dodd said of a conversation he and Sonnen shared during drug testing conducted by the state a day prior to the fight.
Sonnen "just let me know he was taking [something] and that's when I called over an inspector to get it documented. But when you do take it you still have to show a medical reason."
"Though Sonnen mentioned using an illegal substance, the veteran mixed martial artist failed to note it on a pre-fight questionnaire with commission doctors or provide documentation about the use of testosterone in a medical context, according to Dodd.
"Whenever you're taking an enhancing drug you have to let the commission know prior to even taking the test that you're taking, and what the medical reasons are why you're taking the drug," Dodd said. "That way we can verify with our commission doctors that the reason you're taking that is the reason you should be on that type of drug. You can't just come in and say, 'Hey, I'm taking this,' and think that's going to get you off."
http://i54.tinypic.com/mtr2aw.jpg
-HB-
Chael Sonnen tested positive for abnormally high levels of testosterone in his UFC 117 drug screening, California state athletic commission executive director George Dodd told media outlets on Monday afternoon, finally naming the substance that could subject Sonnen to a one-year suspension as well as a fine.
According to Dodd, who spoke to SI.com, Sonnen admitted to him during testing that he had used an illegal performance enhancer prior to the middleweight championship bout against Anderson Silva. Dodd did not name the specific drug Sonnen allegedly admitted to using.
The CSAC has yet to formally release an official statement on the matter, and neither Dodd nor Sonnen responded to attempts for comment by MMA Fighting.
Sonnen, a longshot underdog in the fight, squared off with longtime reigning champion Silva and surprisingly dominated him for more than four rounds before falling into a stunning, fight-ending triangle submission in the fifth. For his efforts, he had been scheduled to receive an immediate rematch. Now the CSAC suspension is likely to cost him another chance at the belt.
The 33-year-old Oregonian earned his title opportunity with three straight wins, besting Dan Miller, Yushin Okami and Nate Marquardt in succession, making him a somewhat unlikely challenger to Silva.
In the months between the time the fight was announced and it actually took place, Sonnen (24-11-1) hyped the fight incessantly, building it into a must-see attraction.
Sonnen also ran for political office during the stretch as well, handily winning a Republican primary for a state representative seat in House District 37, though he later withdrew from the general election race.
The usually outspoken star has been mum in the time since the positive test was first reported, and has yet to make any statement. Sonnen reportedly received formal notice of his test failure last Friday and has 30 days in which to file appeal.
CSAC drug testing was handled by the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory, the world's largest World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited sports drug-testing facility that has also handled anti-doping for the U.S. Olympic committee since 1985.
The actual SI.com article has a lot of interesting quotes from Dodd:
"He only indicated that he was taking it but he never indicated why," Dodd said of a conversation he and Sonnen shared during drug testing conducted by the state a day prior to the fight.
Sonnen "just let me know he was taking [something] and that's when I called over an inspector to get it documented. But when you do take it you still have to show a medical reason."
"Though Sonnen mentioned using an illegal substance, the veteran mixed martial artist failed to note it on a pre-fight questionnaire with commission doctors or provide documentation about the use of testosterone in a medical context, according to Dodd.
"Whenever you're taking an enhancing drug you have to let the commission know prior to even taking the test that you're taking, and what the medical reasons are why you're taking the drug," Dodd said. "That way we can verify with our commission doctors that the reason you're taking that is the reason you should be on that type of drug. You can't just come in and say, 'Hey, I'm taking this,' and think that's going to get you off."
http://i54.tinypic.com/mtr2aw.jpg
-HB-