More details emerge on the Chael Sonnen drug saga as George Dodd, the CSAC official that first alerted the media on the failed drug test, talked to Lance Pugmire of the LA Times, and said that Chael tested positive for a “natural steroid”, and it happened on his pre-fight drug test:
Chael Sonnen tested positive for a steroid before his Oakland loss to Anderson Silva, CSAC exec. George Dodd tells me… Said a “natural steroid.”
He talked about it in detail, and says that the fighter is also looking at a 1-year suspension and a $2500 fine:
Chael Sonnen, the brash Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight contender who nearly defeated champion Anderson Silva in August, tested positive for a steroid before the fight in Oakland and faces a year-long suspension, California State Athletic Commission Executive Officer George Dodd said Sunday.
Sonnen will have 30 days to appeal his suspension and $2,500 fine, said Dodd, clouding UFC plans for a Sonnen-Silva rematch early next year in Nevada… Dodd said Sonnen’s positive test emerged from a urine sample he gave before the fight that was processed through the UCLA Olympic drug-testing lab.
Sean Sherk also faced the same fine and suspension when he tested positive on his victory over Hermes Franca back in 2007, but he appealed this, and got it reduced to 6 months. Sonnen has remained silent since the news first broke out, but he still has around a month to appeal this suspension. We will keep you updated as more details become available.
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