Chael Sonnen has been pulled from his UFC 175 fight against Vitor Belfort following his failed drug test with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
The failed drug test was reported by Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com as he was informed of the test results by Nevada State Athletic Commission Chairman Francisco Aguilar.
According to the report, Sonnen tested positive for two illegal substances, Anastrozole and Clomiphene. Anastrozole is used to treat early stages of breast cancer while Clomiphene is used in cases of female infertility.
Following an appearance on “Jay Mohr Sports” on Fox Sports Radio, Sonnen appeared on “America’s Pregame” on Fox Sports 1 to explain why he failed his random drug test with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
“These are perfectly legal substances,” Sonnen said. “These are not performance enhancing drugs, these are not anabolics, these are not not steroids of any kind. It’s very tough to be caught on this. Look, they changed the rules and I’ve gotta comply with the rules, I don’t resist that at all.”
“There is a transition period and I couldn’t have been more open or transparent about it, whether it was on UFC Tonight or different interviews in different places. These are the medications you have to go on to lead a healthy life. If they ask you to choose between my health and my sport, that’s not a choice I can make. I have to choose my health.”
UFC President Dana White also appeared on the television program on Fox Sports 1 to address the situation from the organizations side. White was asked if he was shocked by what happened and cited that Sonnen and the commission are to blame for this situation.
“I’m not shocked,” White said. “My reaction isn’t shock – this has been lingering. This stuff was legal, TRT was legal. Then the Nevada State Athletic Commission said it’s illegal now and it’s gotta go away. But there are going to be effects of stopping this thing cold turkey. It just doesn’t work that way.
“Both are at fault. The commission could have laid it out better for how they were going to end this thing, what was going to be banned and what wouldn’t be banned, and the guys coming down off it. But again it’s a matter that they’re not very educated on, TRT. It’s the thing that’s made this whole thing impossible anyway. And it’s Chael’s fault too because he should have called the commission to tell them what his doctor told him to do to come down off the stuff.”
It’s possible that Sonnen could be added to the agenda for next week’s Nevada State Athletic Commission hearing. The agenda has not been finalized for this meeting, but it’s expected that Vitor Belfort will be on the agenda to address his positive drug test from February.