Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Professional UFC fighters test positive for anabolic steroids

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Professional UFC fighters test positive for anabolic steroids

    This is some pretty old news, but in case you haven't heard:

    UFC champion tests positive for steroid
    Sean Sherk faces a one-year suspension. His opponent in July 7 title defense also tests positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
    By Lance Pugmire, Times Staff Writer
    July 20, 2007

    UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk, who successfully defended his belt July 7 in Sacramento, tested positive for the steroid nandrolone and faces a one-year suspension, the California State Athletic Commission announced Thursday.

    Sherk's opponent, Hermes Franca, also tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug, drostanolone, and also faces a one-year ban from competition.

    "This [testing] is our standard operating procedure," said Armando Garcia, executive director of the state athletic commission. "Unfortunately, it occurred with two outstanding athletes."

    Nicknamed "Muscle Shark," Sherk, 33, won the fight by unanimous decision in a five-round battle that was mostly contested in a grappling position. It was his first title defense after returning from a shoulder injury.

    Sherk's nandrolone level was six times more than a normal human's, and twice the amount produced by high-performance athletes, according to World Anti Doping Administration standards, Garcia said.

    Sherk earned $28,000 for the fight. He was fined $2,500 for the positive test, and will be suspended from fighting in California until July 2008, Garcia said.

    That one-year suspension is expected to be respected in states that also have athletic commissions, such as Nevada, Garcia said.

    "Some promoters may try to get their guy to fight in states without commissions, and that's beyond our jurisdiction, but if it's a legitimate promoter like the UFC, they wouldn't do anything like that," Garcia said.

    In a prepared statement released Thursday, UFC President Dana White said, "Our policy on fighters using steroids, illegal drugs or any banned substance remains the same — you cannot use them. It's not only unhealthy and unsafe, it's against the law. The UFC fully supports the commission's efforts and we will continue to take measures that keep this sport clean and keep the athletes safe."

    Sherk (36-2-1) has appealed his fine and suspension, and will be allowed to present his case at an Aug. 6 hearing in Los Angeles. Franca (19-6), who earned $14,000 for the fight, has not appealed his suspension or $2,500 fine, Garcia said. White will decide after the hearing if he'll vacate the lightweight title, a UFC official said Thursday.


    He faces a one-year suspension. His opponent in July 7 title bout also tests positive and will be banned.



    I've been defending the MMA/UFC circut for a long time, especially here. I just wanted to say how dissapointed I am to hear this news. I guess I naively assumed that they were tested. I also looked up to these fighters, thinking that what they had accomplished was capable through non-chemistry-altering methods.

    However, while I don't want to make excuses for these athletes (and for the many more who weren't caught yet continue to fight), I still wanted to say that steroids aren't going to make up for anything if you don't have the work ethic.



    Here is a glimpse of Sean Sherk's training. Most people simply don't have the drive and work ethic required to complete this level of intense training...most people can't set goals and accomplish them like this man does. Not only do you see what he does in the gym, you are able to see that he completely dedicated to accomplishing his goals. Steroids can't give you that. Steroids helped by speeding his recovery so that he could train more, longer, but that is not looking at the big picture.

    Still, I want to reiterate that I am dissapointed, but I have not and will not damn the men who put in the time and effort to make themselves great. I don't condone the use of anabolics, but anabolics are responsible for only a small fraction of the success these athletes have achieved.
    Becoming what I've dreamed about.

  • #2
    Yeah I remember reading about this some months ago. Not too surprised sadly enough.
    "For some reason I'm in a good mood today. I haven't left the house yet, though. "

    "fa hui, you make buddhism sexy." -Zachsan

    "Friends don't let friends do Taekwondo." -Nancy Reagan

    Comment


    • #3
      Steroids? in the UFC? wow I am so shocked... about as shocked as hearing they are used in pro wrestling or any other sport for that matter... people are always gonna look for that extra edge over the competition. especially when there is money and fame involved. the consequences are always of secondary or tertiary concern.
      The essential point in science it not a complicated mathematical formalism or a ritualized experimentation. Rather the heart of science is a kind of shrewd honesty the springs from really wanting to know what the hell is going on!

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by LeiYunFat
        I've been defending the MMA/UFC circut for a long time, especially here. I just wanted to say how dissapointed I am to hear this news. I guess I naively assumed that they were tested. I also looked up to these fighters, thinking that what they had accomplished was capable through non-chemistry-altering methods.
        Don't worry LYF. Life is full of surprises, things that come about that we fully don' expect and that catch us completely unawares. It happens tot the best of us. Even me.

        For example, I was absolutely shocked and devastated to find out that all my favorite little strippers at the Spearmint Rhino and at Cheetahs in Las Vegas were NOT actually putting themselves through law school.....

        LOL.
        Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

        "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

        (more comments in my User Profile)
        russbo.com


        Comment


        • #5
          You mean you didn't know that from the beginning....?

          Guess you got caught up in the big bounciness of their breasts....
          "For some reason I'm in a good mood today. I haven't left the house yet, though. "

          "fa hui, you make buddhism sexy." -Zachsan

          "Friends don't let friends do Taekwondo." -Nancy Reagan

          Comment


          • #6
            same thing happened to me recently, lei. not with the UFC, which comes as no big surprise to me, but with "chicken" during the tour de france. what a huge let down that was! and these guys, well...some don't even bother with steroids anymore. they do blood transfusions!!!

            i mean, seriously, how ridiculous can you get? what do you call up your boy and say, " yo, i know i said i only wanted to try it...that i'd only do one or two pints, but damn, that hemoglobin you sold me was the bomb!! if you hook a brother up with another couple litters, i'll....i'll suck your.....??? LOL....

            so disappointing.
            ZhongwenMovies.com

            Comment


            • #7
              At risk of stereotyping, it's never a surprise to me to find out when meatheads are using steroids, especially when those meatheads make a living out of kicking each other's asses.

              This is even worse than in other sports though, because aside from the health risks for the user, it increases the danger to the other competitors. Since death is a real possibility already in these matches, there's just no excuse for not thoroughly testing all the fighters before the bouts.

              Comment


              • #8
                well, that's the big problem. testing before a match just doesn't cut it anymore. there're substances these days that can help during the course of training, but which are eliminated from the body by the time test day comes, or just don't show up as a "positive" on certain drug tests. for this reason, prior to the tour de france, for instance, participants are forced to let their team and "the testers" know where they will be at all times...or else, under various stipulations, "no shows" (i think three or something) equal a positive test result. kind of like the whole dui thing. so, basically, if these guys are only getting tested on or around the day of the match, there will still be ways for them to use performance enhancement drugs to their benefit.
                ZhongwenMovies.com

                Comment


                • #9
                  That sucks.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Let's get one thing clear...I was not suprised. I was dissapointed, but not suprised. It's kind of like knowing your girlfriend is a stripper and finding out she was giving handjobs in the back for 50 bucks.

                    Don't let the attitudes of some of the more flamboyant fighters fool you, Zach. These guys are just like any other athlete. The steroids aren't going to make people blind with rage or unstoppable trains. They are used primarily for recovery.
                    Becoming what I've dreamed about.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by LeiYunFat
                      Let's get one thing clear...I was not suprised. I was dissapointed, but not suprised. It's kind of like knowing your girlfriend is a stripper and finding out she was giving handjobs in the back for 50 bucks.
                      HMMM, again, LYF, what am I going to do with you.

                      Why would anyone be "surprised" that their stripper girlfriend was giving handjobs in the back?

                      How else would she put herself through law school....
                      Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

                      "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

                      (more comments in my User Profile)
                      russbo.com


                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by doc
                        How else would she put herself through law school....
                        What law school...?

                        At least they're not saying Med School....yet.
                        "For some reason I'm in a good mood today. I haven't left the house yet, though. "

                        "fa hui, you make buddhism sexy." -Zachsan

                        "Friends don't let friends do Taekwondo." -Nancy Reagan

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          "Nursing School" is pretty popular around here...hahahahahha
                          Becoming what I've dreamed about.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            "I want to be a veterinarian because I love children" has been heard in some of the Las Vegas churches...

                            Really.

                            Gotta love our stripper chicks.
                            Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

                            "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

                            (more comments in my User Profile)
                            russbo.com


                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Hahhahahahahah! Maybe one day you can show me these children loving vets so I can see for myself...and for a fee, feel them up a little bit....hahahahahah
                              Becoming what I've dreamed about.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X