mmajunkie kirjoitti: Failed UFC 89 drug test nets Chris Leben nine-month suspension
The Ultimate Fighting Championship has suspended UFC middleweight and UFC 89 headliner Chris Leben nine months and fined him one third of his fight purse for failing a drug test at the Oct. 18 event.
The UFC announced the suspension and fine after Leben tested positive for the steroid Stanozolol.
UFC 89 took place in Birmingham, England, and the UFC served as its own regulatory body for the event since the country has no athletic commission that oversees MMA shows.
Leben suffered a unanimous-decision loss to British fighter Michael Bisping in the main event of UFC 89, which aired via tape delay on Spike TV.
"I've really done everything I can to turn my life around, and this is a huge setback for me, but it is something I will have to deal with," Leben stated. "During my time off from fighting, I want to speak to kids about the dangers of using performance enhancing agents and let them know it just doesn’t get you ahead in life. Of course this is a hard hit for me monetarily, but more so this is embarrassing for me and for all of my fans. I apologize to the UFC and everyone who supported me in my fight in England. I hope to work through this and get back to fighting soon."
Stanozolol, which is often sold under the brand name Winstrol, is a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from testosterone that is usually prescribed to treat anaemia and hereditary angioedema in humans, though it's also available for veterinary uses. The drug is popular in the bodybuilding world, though MMA fighters such as Tim Sylvia, Phil Baroni and Kimo Leopoldo have tested positive for it in the past.
All 22 fighters from UFC 89 were tested, according to the UFC.
"I am obviously disappointed with Chris, who has made great strides getting his life back on track," UFC President Dana White stated. "To his credit, he has taken responsibility for his actions and is accepting the punishment that has been handed down. But as always, the UFC puts the safety of its athletes first and foremost, and we won’t tolerate anyone using performance enhancing drugs in our organization."
Leben had been scheduled to headline UFC 85 with Bisping in June, but the bout was postponed so that Leben could serve jail time for a previous DUI offense. He hoped jail time wouldn't be issued and that the move would allow him to secure a visa for the event. However, Leben was sentenced to 35 days in the Clackamas County Jail in Oregon (though he was released early), and the fight was postponed.
Serving the jail time was part of what Leben called a maturation process that followed his move to Hawaii, where he now serves as an MMA instructor at the ICON Fitness and MMA Center. Prior to UFC 89, Leben, who appeared on "The Ultimate Fighter 1" (with a few drunken rampages), also said he had quit drinking.
He'll be eligible to return to the UFC in July 2009.