UFC News & Notes: Anderson Silva Banned for One Year, Fined $380K for Failed Drug Tests
The Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Anderson Silva for one year and handed a $380,000 fine after testing positive for banned substances in multiple drug tests earlier this year.
Silva, who is widely considered as the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, tested positive for drostanolone before and after winning against Nick Diaz during their showdown at UFC 183 on Jan. 31 in Las Vegas. His samples that were submitted on Jan. 9 also showed traces of androstane.
The 40-year-old Brazilian insisted during the hearing on Thursday that he did not take any banned substance intentionally. According Silva, he failed several drug tests because of the sexual-performance enhancing drug from a friend, which he took before the fight against Diaz.
"I am human and made mistakes," Silva said during the hearing via ESPN. "It definitely was a mistake. If I had known this supplement that I was taking for something else would have caused this sort of problem, I never would have taken it."
However, his reason failed to convince the NSAC as it raised more questions than answers. In the end, the commission unanimously voted to suspend Silva for one year from the date of his last fight and was required to submit a clean test before being allowed to fight again next year.
"I don't feel like we're getting the whole story," NSAC commissioner Anthony Marnell told Silva during the hearing. "I'm not going to say it's a lie. I'm not going to say you're not telling the whole truth under oath -- but we're not getting the whole picture here."
UFC accepted NSAC's decision, as the promotion has also launched a comprehensive anti-doping policies earlier this year. The UFC said in a statement that they are looking forward to Silva's next fight next year.
"The UFC organization maintains a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents by its athletes, and fully supports the Commission's ongoing efforts to ensure clean competition by all MMA athletes," UFC said in a statement posted on their official website.
Silva, the former UFC middleweight champion, holds a 33-6 record and has no doping cases before the recent controversy. Before winning against Diaz in January, the Brazilian superstar took a 13-month break after sustaining a gruesome leg injury during his rematch with Chris Weidman at UFC 168 in December 2013.
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