ESPN is reporting that Chael Sonnen has failed a random drug test and his fight with Vitor Belfort at UFC 175 will not happen. Sonnen was tested last month in Las Vegas while he attended a UFC news conference. The results showed that he had anastrozole and clomiphene in his system. Nevada State Athletic Commission’s Francisco Aguilar confirmed the test results to ESPN today. Sonnen will likely face a suspension from UFC. Sonnen had previously stated that he would have to find alternative methods for testosterone replacement.
Sonnen said, “I’ve had to stop testosterone with the hope we can find a new way to gain results of upping testosterone to a healthy level. If it doesn’t work, I may have to stop the sport, and it’s as simple as that.” Belfort is facing his own licensing issues as well after he revealed that he failed a test in February.
UPDATE: Chael Sonnen and Dana White appeared on America’s Pregame on FS1 with Mike Hill.
Dana said that he’s not shocked. He said that TRT was legal but the NSAC banned it and there are effects that come when fighters stop cold turkey. He said that nobody is on TRT. He said that only 5 guys out of 500 were on TRT and it was legal and then the athletic commission banned it. He said that only 2 of their big stars (Chael Sonnen and Vitor Belfort) are dealing with the after effects. He said that Sonnen took an estrogen blocker to deal with the side effects of coming off TRT. Dana said that the rules should have been laid out better. He said that it was legal that the doctors and the athletic commission were never on the same page as far as the levels and ratios. He said that the commission was not very educated on TRT. He said that Chael should have called the commission to let them know what he was taking to come down with TRT. He said that Chael had conversations with his doctors. Dana said that UFC has taken drug testing head on and there’s not a drug problem in UFC. He said that no one is doing more for testing than UFC. He blasted ESPN for saying that the TRT exemptions were rampant and reiterated that there were only 5 exemptions in UFC.
Chael said that what he took are legal substances and not PEDs. He said that the commission changed the rules and he must comply but there is a transition period. He said that if they ask him to choose between his sport and his health then he has to choose his health. He said that he had not spoken to the commission and he said that in interviews. He said that the only time he had to disclose what he was taking was in competition. He said that there was no attempt to have a disclosure form. He said that when he was tested it was out of competition. He said that this is unprecedented because it’s not illegal to take what he took out of competition. He said that he knew what he took was on the banned list but not while out of competition. Chael did say that he will appeal. He said that Ibuprofen is banned and so is caffeine. He said that at 6am he buys an expresso and if he tested for caffeine then he would test positive. He said that there’s always been a distinction between game day and out of competition. He said that he took a perfectly legal medication that’s not a PED. One of them is an estrogen blocker. He said that he had to take these drugs because they banned testosterone and there’s a transition phase to come off testosterone.
He said clomephine and HCG is what he took to come off testosterone. He said that he took his own test for clomephine and thought it would be out of his system but he thought HCG would show up on the test. Chael said that his situation is different from the Wanderlei situation. He said that he came out and was transparent, unlike Wanderlei Silva. He said that he didn’t hide anything and what he took is not illegal and not performance enhancing. Mike Hill (the host)Â said that it’s hard to overcome this label and people will think of him as a cheater. Chael said that throughout his career he’s had a number of labels but he will have the label of a parent and father. He said every single time he’ll choose being a parent over being an athlete. Chael said that he’s not defending being outside of the rules. He said that the commission doesn’t tell fighters the rules until someone pops on a test. He said that they are hard to follow when there’s a continual moving target and its’ not equal for everybody. Chael reiterated that he never had an opportunity to disclose to an official what he’s taking. He said that this test was done by USADA and there was no disclosure form. He said that he called the Attorney General’s office and hasn’t heard back even though they did go to the media. He said that he’s frustrated understanding where the lines are at. He said that he needed 50 days to be in compliance and what he took should have been out of his system. He said that there should be no reason that what he took should have been banned and he reiterated again that they’re not performance enhancers.
