There were various reactions when the recent Strikeforce champion in the women 145 division was busted for taking steroids. Cristiane Cyborg Santos was suspended for one year by the California State Athletic Commission for her positive steroid test. The steroid stanozolol found in her system is commonly used as a weight loss tool by athletes. It is also responsible for the development of leaner muscles. Though Santos denied that she took the steroid intentionally, CSAC still imposed the suspension and other sanctions including a “no contest” ruling in her previous fight with Yamanaka.

Santos blamed a dietary supplement which she used to lose weight in getting into the 145 catch weight. In a statement, Santos said that she will do everything to show her fans that she can still compete at the professional level without the use of any prohibited substances. She also asked for God’s forgiveness for her mistake. But these statements will not help control the damage she had caused to her reputation. She will receive the same criticisms accorded to men fighters who were also caught using steroids or other performance enhancing drugs.

Women MMA Fighters Harsh on Her Use of Steroids

One of the very vocal critics on Santos’ steroid use is Ronda Rousey. During an interview, Rousey directly hit the former 145 women division champion. “I feel like anyone with half a brain isn’t surprised. I have mixed emotions of Cyborg being caught cheating because I know everyone knew she was cheating and I wanted to make an example of her because you don’t need to take steroids to win,” she told Mauro Ranallo of the MMA Show.

The former Olympian, who became one of the sensations in the women MMA, said that it was a good thing that Cyborg was caught by CSAC. She also believes that Cyborg has been cheating in her fights. “I don’t have the least bit respect for her because I always knew she was a cheater, and now everyone else knows too,” Rousey said.

Cyborg Santos promised to return in the MMA. However, women fighters like Rousey expect that she will never be the same fighter again unless Cyborg will turn to other performance enhancers like HGH. Growth hormones are hard to detect because it leaves the system within 2-3 days.

Rousey’s impressive record (4-0) will be tested on March 3, 2012 against the women’s 135-pound champion Miesha Tate.

Meanwhile, Gina Carano, who was defeated by the Cyborg Santos in an epic match, also shared her sentiments. “I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t hurt by the whole thing. That fight with her was definitely the biggest moment of my mixed martial arts (MMA) career and at that time I had people around me telling me she was on steroids and everything,” Carano told Thomas Myers of MMA Mania.

Carano still commended Santos for her athletic ability and hinted that the people around her may be the reason why the fighter turned to steroids. “Maybe someone around her was telling her she needed to do that when she really didn’t. Maybe it was someone around her telling her the wrong things,” Carano said.

While Carano was out of the MMA for about 2 years, she found a new career in acting. She will be seen in the movie Haywire which is scheduled to hit theaters on Jan. 20, 2012.

If Carano decides to comeback, a rematch will surely boost women MMA again. A grudge match can also happen between Ronda Rousey and Cyborg Santos when the latter returns after her steroid suspension.

Implement Better Anti-Doping Policies

Another MMA woman fighter, Rosi Sexton also shared her thoughts on the use of performance enhancing drugs in MMA. The advantages of using performance enhancing drugs are significant and insurmountable which may influence even good fighters to take the drugs. To take steroids out of the mixed martial arts, strict implementation of anti-doping measures must be in place. This will not only discourage steroid use but will also tackle the loopholes in the current system.

However, there is another problem. Mixed Martial Arts is still promoted as a business and not as sports so implementation of better anti-doping policies may not happen soon.

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