In January, it was revealed by the Nevada Athletic Commission that former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva had tested positive for performance enhancing drugs in his UFC 183 out-of-competition test. It was later confirmed that Silva also tested positive for Oxazepam, Temazepam, and drostanolone metabolites in his post-fight drug test as well.
The news sparked outrage in the MMA community and brought into question the legitimacy of the longtime champion’s career. However, others have come to his aid, and offered their support and friendship. Roy Jones Jr., who has been linked to Silva because of a potential boxing match that was long talked about, explained that he sympathized with Silva’s need to use PEDs to speed up his recovery, if that was the actual case.
“People don’t understand that when you have injuries like that, it’s a very difficult thing to come back from,” Jones Jr. told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “I know that’s what forced him probably to try to do things to try and help the leg. When you break a leg the way he broke it, I can’t see a person that wouldn’t try the same thing. “
The 46-year-old Jones Jr. believes Silva’s positive tests for UFC 183 should not bring into question the champion’s entire career or stain his legacy. If Silva required the banned substances for his recovery, then he should have the right to use them, as long as it does not happen close to the actual fight.
“I feel for him in that instance, because I know what he’s going through in a sense, because I’ve heard people say that those things help you heal quicker,” Jones Jr. said. “So of course he wants to get healed so he can fight. However, you can’t do it that close to a fight because it would be illegal.”
Transcription taken from MMAFighting.com.
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