UFC’s middleweight fighter Chael Sonnen lodged an appeal after the California State Athletic Commission slapped him with 1 year suspension because of a positive test for steroids. Both of his A and B samples returned positive results but Sonnen is still hoping that the decision of the CSAC will be reverted or at least reduced to a much shorter period. But the real challenge to the UFC fighter is on how to convince the CSAC that he should not be suspended.

The suspension is a double black eye on Sonnen because he lost his chance to get the title from Anderson Silva in their match up in UFC 117 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California last August. Every fighter in the middleweight division is eager to unseat Silva who is considered as one of the best fighters in the UFC. However, only a few can be a good match up for Silva and that includes Sonnen. The expected rematch was put on the shelves and Sonnen has to serve his sentence first before he can ask for another fight against Anderson Silva. Aside from the 1 year suspension, Sonnen is also required to pay a fine amounting to $2,500.

The Defense: TRT

Now, insiders in the MMA got a glimpse of what will be the defense of Chael Sonnen when he meets the commissioners on December 2. Sonnen’s camp will try to convince CSAC that the fighter was under a Testosterone Replacement Therapy or TRT. According to online reports, Sonnen has been on hormone therapy even before his fight with Yushin Okami and he was given clearance by the CSAC during that time. An abnormal testosterone level in the body could be caused by several factors. It can be due to age, heredity, or due to weight fluctuations. If Sonnen has a legitimate medical condition, then there is a probability that their defense will be given consideration.

Failure to Declare Testosterone Treatment

However, Sonnen failed to acknowledge that condition when he fought Anderson Silva. Probably he was negligent or his doctor failed to remind him or his team failed to apply for exemption. There are so many possibilities but it was too late for them to realize that they violated the anti-doping rules of the CSAC. Though, one of the possible arguments that they have is that the CSAC has on its file the previous approval of Sonnen’s testosterone medication.

Cageside Seats also reported that Sonnen did not apply for exemption when he fought Nate Marquardt in Nevada. The executive director of the NSAC Keith Kizer told them that the middleweight fighter never applied or was approved for testosterone replacement therapy in February or in any other fight of Sonnen in Nevada. So this would give them another problem. Since a damage endocrine system requires continuous treatment, Sonnen should have disclosed it when he fought Marquardt.

Prediction on Sonnen’s Case

Oliver Copp, UFC writer and commentator, posted on a message board that he predicts CSAC would still enforce the suspension against Sonnen for failure to declare his condition. Required to pay the fine and probably fight Bisping on his comeback.

Meanwhile, another UFC fighter was caught using the steroid stanozolol. The UFC confirmed that Vinicius Quieroz tested positive for the banned substance when he fought Rob Broughton in UFC 120. Quieroz lost the fight and the discretionary bonus was also forfeited.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS