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Chael Sonnen’s suspension is now official following an announcement from the California State Athletic Commission that his failed drug test at UFC 117 was down to anabolic steroid traces.
He is banned from any form of professional mixed martial arts competition for one year; his ban will end in September 2011.
CSAC executive officer George Dodd announced today that Sonnen's pre-fight drug test showed an abnormally high ratio of testosterone-to-oestrogen. This is a common indication of steroid use.
"The use of anabolic steroids and other banned substances are not tolerated by the commission. Anabolic agents put the health and safety of both the user and his opponents at risk," Dodd said today.
Sonnen was originally - and erroneously - thought to have tested positive for a “natural steroid” but today’s announcement confirms that he was, according to the test results, using a synthetic steroid of some kind.
But Sonnen’s management said this week, prior to today’s announcement, that their fighter will be appealing and will be speaking to his physicians prior to that appeal in order to get a case together.
Sonnen told Dodd prior to UFC 117 - but after the allotted disclosure period - that he taken “something” which might cause him to fail the test; this has been reported as a treatment he was using for a stomach upset.
But Dodd says Sonnen did not have any medical papers with him at the time of disclosure to demonstrate why he would be using a prohibited substance, making the tenability of his position uncertain.
Sonnen’s appeal will be heard at a CSAC meeting on December 2nd.
In the meantime, his immediate rematch with Anderson Silva is now scrapped and his place will be taken by Vitor Belfort, who was removed from the headline slot of UFC 122 earlier today. Belfort will meet Silva on January 1st at UFC 125.
He is banned from any form of professional mixed martial arts competition for one year; his ban will end in September 2011.
CSAC executive officer George Dodd announced today that Sonnen's pre-fight drug test showed an abnormally high ratio of testosterone-to-oestrogen. This is a common indication of steroid use.
"The use of anabolic steroids and other banned substances are not tolerated by the commission. Anabolic agents put the health and safety of both the user and his opponents at risk," Dodd said today.
Sonnen was originally - and erroneously - thought to have tested positive for a “natural steroid” but today’s announcement confirms that he was, according to the test results, using a synthetic steroid of some kind.
But Sonnen’s management said this week, prior to today’s announcement, that their fighter will be appealing and will be speaking to his physicians prior to that appeal in order to get a case together.
Sonnen told Dodd prior to UFC 117 - but after the allotted disclosure period - that he taken “something” which might cause him to fail the test; this has been reported as a treatment he was using for a stomach upset.
But Dodd says Sonnen did not have any medical papers with him at the time of disclosure to demonstrate why he would be using a prohibited substance, making the tenability of his position uncertain.
Sonnen’s appeal will be heard at a CSAC meeting on December 2nd.
In the meantime, his immediate rematch with Anderson Silva is now scrapped and his place will be taken by Vitor Belfort, who was removed from the headline slot of UFC 122 earlier today. Belfort will meet Silva on January 1st at UFC 125.
