UFC Fighter Thiago Silva Suspended for One Year
by Nate Wilcox on Apr 8, 2011 9:07 AM EDT
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The Nevada State Athletic Commission has suspended and fined Thiago Silva for providing a fake urine sample after his UFC 125 bout against Brandon Vera. That fight, which Silva originally won, has been ruled a no-contest.
Vera, who had been cut by the promotion after the loss got a second lease on his UFC career after the NSAC raised concerns about the fight.
The commission fined Silva $33,750 (25% of his $55,000 purse and 20% of his $55,000 win bonus) and set the suspension to begin retroactively on January 1, 2011. Silva will be able to re-apply for a license on January 2, 2012.
Heavy.com has more:
Silva told the commission that he secured the synthetic urine from ClearTest.com. He poured the urine into his testing vial while the NSAC inspector stood behind him. Silva said that three herniated discs in his back caused him a great deal of pain during training camp.
The commission admitted that their inspectors were at fault for not catching the cheating process.
After the commission ruled against him, Silva posted a statement on the UG in which he said:
I re-injured my back 45 days before the fight with Brandon Vera. After not fighting for a year, I made the decision to not pull out of the fight. I also decided that the only way I could continue with the fight was to take injections in my back and spine that contained substances prohibited by the Nevada Athletic Commission. I also made the decision to use a product to hide the presence of these substances in a urine test.
Dr. Johnny Benjamin commented on Silva's statement:
FYI: There is no medically accepted, evidence-based literature supporting the injection of anabolic steroids or HGH into the epidural space (spinal canal). In the U.S., to do so clearly would be considered rampant malpractice.
...
I pray that Silva's official statement is his well-worded (and in his mind, excusable) explanation for just regular, garden-variety cheating (i.e. "I got caught attempting to mask my injection of anabolic steroids and/or HGH into my butt trying to help heal or recover from a training injury").If, in fact, my suspicions/concerns are warranted, state athletic commissions, WADA, USADA, the UFC and especially fighters need to be very, very alarmed. A disaster is looming.
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Damn that sucks. I know he cheated so he deserves it I guess but I love watching him fight. Will he be able to get it reduced? If the Chael Sonnen circus show that I watched got his sentence reduced, surely Thiago can also?
Two completely different cases.
Chael’s case was that he was only guilty due to a clerical error.
Thiago outright admitted to fudging his sample to try and slip one by the commission.
"Ellismania is, along with the black President, a symbol of the future."
Tweeter!
They both had the same "clerical error"
of not writing down that they were taking banned substances. The main difference is that Sonnen said he has tiny balls, lied about other commissions, and brought a hippie to tell the CSAC “Yeah… he uh… needs this stuff? I guess?”
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
by pdl on Apr 7, 2011 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m not medically qualified enough to say whether Chael does or doesn’t need TRT.
But Chael did it, made no attempt to hide it, and then claimed after the fact that he didn’t know he was doing anything wrong. Whether or not he did know he was doing something wrong is irrelevant – his admission was that, “Hey, I didn’t know any better.”
Thiago, by trying to hide his banned substance-usage, knew what he was doing was illegal from the jump, and furthermore, the commission knew that he knew.
"Ellismania is, along with the black President, a symbol of the future."
Tweeter!
Chael admitted to intentionally not writing it on the form where he was supposed to disclose such a treatment.
If you believe his farcical excuse, that’s fine. But it wasn’t a “clerical error” like he wrote something on the wrong form or spelling something incorrectly. He admitted to deliberately and intentionally leaving his testosterone treatment off the form where he was required to disclose it and has apparently never made any attempted to get a therapeutic use exemption. He was unrepentant about not following the rules, blamed everybody but himself, allegedly lied under oath, and made a ridiculous shitshow out of his appeal to get his one year sentence reduced. I don’t believe he received any fines.
Thiago Silva made an honest admission that he did something wrong and showed both contrition and remorse. Now he’s losing a huge over 30K before his gym fees, taxes, and managers cut. He will be unable to make money for over a year barring an appeal to reduce his sentencing. Given the Franca/Toney precedent set by the CSAC, I’m not inclined to believe he gets a reduction.
People wonder why athletes don’t admit when they’ve done wrong and try to cover it up. This is exactly why. You get rewarded for acting like a petulant child. Nice guys get punished.
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
by pdl on Apr 7, 2011 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
What Chael did wasn’t right from a moral standpoint (I’m reasonably certain he knew what he was doing), but he covered himself at least somewhat from a legal standpoint. Thiago didn’t.
I was just addressing the original question:
If the Chael Sonnen circus show that I watched got his sentence reduced, surely Thiago can also?
Chael got his sentence reduced because he played the system. Thiago really doesn’t have that option.
"Ellismania is, along with the black President, a symbol of the future."
Tweeter!
Come on man....
..Did you read the article by Dr. Benjamin?
His “honest admission” was a lie made to look like an honest admission. He had already been caught when he made his statement, so to think that it isn’t a cover up is pretty naive.
I thought right away “why would you inject steroids into your back?” and while I have no medical knowledge I thought that was pretty unlikely and it was far more likely that he was saying this to garner sympathy.
He took steroids, got caught and then (sort of) came clean about the situation. I don’t feel sorry for him in the least.
you probably wouldn't
Pain killers are illegal too. I am kinda shocked a Dr. Would assume steroids. It Kinda makes me think he is a moron of a dr.
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart." - Rickson Gracie
"Wanderlei eventually got to his feet and stalked Fujita like a Japanese octopus in an all-female prison." - Sean Baby Cracked.com
by the-gentle-way on Apr 7, 2011 4:37 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
i totally think almost all pros are on steroids.( anabolic)
But silva has back problems. I would bet it was pain killer and cortizone injections.
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart." - Rickson Gracie
"Wanderlei eventually got to his feet and stalked Fujita like a Japanese octopus in an all-female prison." - Sean Baby Cracked.com
by the-gentle-way on Apr 7, 2011 5:04 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
It’s not uncommon to have steriod injections in your spine. I’ve had three series of epidural steroid injections for 3 herniated disk. What Dr. Ben said was there’s no reason for anabolic steriods injections in the back. I don’t think if the injections I recieved were anabolic.
Here’s the link for the injections:
http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/injections/lumbar-epidural-steroid-injections-low-back-pain-and-sciatica
If you can't wow them with brilliance, then baffle them with bullshit.
by DayGeaux on Apr 7, 2011 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
cortizone
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart." - Rickson Gracie
"Wanderlei eventually got to his feet and stalked Fujita like a Japanese octopus in an all-female prison." - Sean Baby Cracked.com
by the-gentle-way on Apr 7, 2011 4:43 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Would it show up on a urine test as a steriod?
If you can't wow them with brilliance, then baffle them with bullshit.
Cortisone would show up on a urine test, glucocorticosteroids like cortisone are prohibited substances too (without a TUEC).
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Apr 7, 2011 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions
From Dr. Bejamin’s article linked above (emphasis added):
Epidural steroid injections (ESIs) are a very common and very legal treatment for certain back injuries. With the use of X-ray guidance, a specially trained physician carefully injects a combination of corticosteroid (not a prohibited substance vs. anabolic steroids, which are prohibited) and a short-acting anesthetic (lidocaine) into the spinal canal, specifically the epidural space.Frankly I was very surprised that an MD dealing with combat sports to the degree he does was unaware that glucocorticosteroids (cortisone, depo-medrol and the like) are in fact prohibited substances.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Apr 7, 2011 10:52 PM EDT up reply actions
He could have taken cortisone or another corticosteroid for his bulging discs.
Twitter: @Mike_Fagan_13
Its funny, in that link you had for that Kizer interview from 2007, he has (or maybe had) some way off-base views, like about cortisone.
He seems pretty much a realist on PEDs though, with justified cynicism…
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Apr 7, 2011 11:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Sonnen also disclosed his before the fight, then went back and completed whatever medical disclosure they gave him to sign. All pre-fight and pre-results.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Apr 7, 2011 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions
C'MON Son.
There were two different instances in time regarding Chael’s case.
1. Disclosure- The place in time where officials allow a figher the opportunity to disclose any substances they may have been taking, so that any confusion can be avoided if in fact a Fighter is tested. Chael did NOT do this because he “was afraid the other fighters would make fun of him for having hypogonadism.(tiny balls)”
Sure Chael. Sure.
2. Test Time- The place in time where a fighter pisses into a cup so scientists can see what fun things are inside. This is when Chael decides to say “OH, were pissing today? Hmm. Awkward. Ok, so I should probably tell you guys my piss is going to be like, radioactive with crazy ass ratios and stuff, but don’t be alarmed! It’s just because I shot testosterone into my ass like 3 days ago. Kieth knows. It’s cool.”
Can you imagine the blank stares from the official he is saying this to? Now that’s comedy.
"It is hard to free fools from the chains they revere."
I think you are getting some of the after-the-fact talk mixed up with what actually happened.
Sonnen did not disclose it on his initial pre-fight medical, nor is there any proof he submitted the TUEC related paperwork he claimed that I am aware of, but unlike Thiago he did disclose it pre-fight before being caught and was taken to amend the medical paperwork.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Apr 8, 2011 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Not mixed up at all, in fact it was you who enlightened me.
Chael didn’t disclose when he was supposed to, for pre-fight medicals.
But he did disclose, as he was pissing. “Hey guys, you better get a glass jar for this one, because it’s fucking CAUSTIC! Hahah, just kidding. But seriously, be careful with that, it’s dangerous.”
Thiago didn’t disclose when he was supposed to, or when he was pissing.
Then he went all “There is no way there could be anything in there because I am CLEAN! The truth will be told!”
Then he was busted, and then he’s all “Ok, ok, so I did take some stuff. But it was only for my back, and in no way could have possibly made me stronger or enhanced my game in any way. All truth people, for reals.”
Sure Thiago, sure.
It’s really a shame too, he was easily one of my top 5 faves. Now I could care less if he ever gets another fight in his lfe, and in fact I hope he doesn’t.
"It is hard to free fools from the chains they revere."
Misunderstood where you were going with that…
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Apr 8, 2011 8:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Kinda light, actually
An 8-month suspension and getting to keep $88,000 from his purse.
Thiago caught a break, methinks.
Follow my Twitter or be a dick! @BVandDietPepsi
Sounds like he got fined $33,750 out of $110,000 (25% of his $55,000 purse and $20,000 of his $55,000 win bonus)
I'm seeing different things from different articles
Up top it just says 20 of 55+55.
Either way, he still keeps a significant chunk of change.
I’m not saying it should or shouldn’t be harsher, just that it was milder then what I was expecting.
Follow my Twitter or be a dick! @BVandDietPepsi
by BVandDietPepsi on Apr 7, 2011 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Does he keep the win bonus?
I thought he only got the show money. Isn’t this fight getting overturned, or has that not happened yet?
I thnk Dr. Benjamin is over-reacting.
Sports physicians do sometimes use drugs in off-label ways. The Oakland Athletics reportedly (several years ago) were using Fosamax (an osteoporosis drug) to accelerate some types of healing in players.
Drugs are tested for use in the general public. Sports doctors are working with a relevantly dissimilar population.
I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.
Agreed.
“A disaster is looming”
What exactly did he mean by that?
Pro athletes are taking steroids…..what a shocking turn of events.
Even though the blockquote is in the right place, in the preview only the first paragraph is blockquoted, no idea why, tried twice, same preview result.
He was talking about if people are using hGH or AAS products via epidural. From the linked article:
FYI: There is no medically accepted, evidence-based literature supporting the injection of anabolic steroids or HGH into the epidural space (spinal canal). In the U.S., to do so clearly would be considered rampant malpractice.
A potential infection in the spinal canal from an injection gone wrong can cause an epidural abscess or meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is often fatal (if not merely crippling), brain damaging and/or permanently life-altering. A mishap with the injection due to improper training (and I question the training and integrity of any doctor that may have done this) or equipment is fraught with devastating consequences.
Also, anabolic steroids and HGH are packaged with preservatives that allow a vial to hold multiple injections. These preservatives should not be injected into the spine because they can permanently damage nerve roots. (That’s the reason it takes 14 years to become a spine surgeon; there’s a lot of stuff to learn.)
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Apr 7, 2011 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Dr. Benjamin always overreacts, to everything. I’m sure he knows his shit, but he reminds me of a very conservative family doctor.
I wonder why he didn't just use someone else's urine.
I feel for him though, those herniated disks and pinched nerves are really bad.
by SpinningFistback on Apr 7, 2011 3:23 PM EDT reply actions
he doesn’t know anybody that’s not on steroids.
by POW on Apr 7, 2011 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
If he appeals the suspension
in pretty much any way, he will almost certainly get it reduced. Thats generally how it works. Here’s hoping to see him fight again in late ’11!
http://mixedmartialartsblogger.wordpress.com/
They all seem to get reduced to 6 months
And how much of a suspension is that? thats average between fight time for some fighters.
They won't
they’ve never dropped somebody for a failed test from what I can remember.
why? They didnt drop Chris Leben, Nate Marquardt, Chael Sonnen, Stephen Bonnar…I know he tried to hide it with a fake sample but as long as he apologizes I doubt he gets dropped. Hes an exciting fighter.
If he was boring then maybe I’d worry.
i agree with everything you say
but he is now 0-2-0-1 in his last three and can only fight in almost a year…
They also happen to be his only two losses and come at the hands of two guys who between them are 31-3-1 (with one of those three coming from the time they fought each other).
"You should work for 15 minutes to knock your opponent out, submit him, or improve your position to give yourself the best chance of doing either." - Dan Hardy
If he was boring then maybe I’d worry.
Exactly. Or someone they were looking to get rid of anyway.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Apr 7, 2011 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Sighs...
I dare not read the rest. It hurts too much to know.
They made a video game about Yakuzas. It’s called Yakuza. And it’s about Yakuza
gocyborg.com
we’ll all be dead before he fights again. great.
"That's racism man, I love to racism bro!"
by Hendo_One-Shot on Apr 7, 2011 3:55 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
So you're saying the re-admission of Thiago Silva will bring forth the End of Days?
The Mayans predicted this too?
They made a video game about Yakuzas. It’s called Yakuza. And it’s about Yakuza
gocyborg.com
by Krimson on Apr 7, 2011 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Yep. Just picture 6 billion angry brazillians holding everyone down and bitch slapping them in the face, until the end of time.
"That's racism man, I love to racism bro!"
by Hendo_One-Shot on Apr 7, 2011 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
You know that soft thing you put under your wrist while using your mouse at work?
I just lol’d on it to prevent the disruption at my desk.
They made a video game about Yakuzas. It’s called Yakuza. And it’s about Yakuza
gocyborg.com
by Krimson on Apr 7, 2011 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
You'll hear them coming
By the bongos being played on the backs of the defeated
You retired from kick boxing in 2006. If you had to do it all over again, would you have tried fighting in MMA?
Jean-Charles Skarbowsky: No.
by rockied on Apr 7, 2011 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
The endless thunderclaps of Brandon Vera's repeatedly broken facial bones
Will usher us into the endtimes by He who is known as I Am.
Follow my Twitter or be a dick! @BVandDietPepsi
by BVandDietPepsi on Apr 7, 2011 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Scared of the Alvesmageddon
Oh no! I can’t go around looking like this…
by BadgerBreeder on Apr 7, 2011 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions
"That's racism man, I love to racism bro!"
by Hendo_One-Shot on Apr 7, 2011 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
The thing that sucks about Thiago Silva is that he has had long layoffs in his MMA career more than once. He’s still in his late twenties, but this is definitely the time where he needs to stay active. I mean, he deserves to get punished, but as a fan of his, it is too bad that we won’t be able to see him fight soon.
Check out the C&D Channel on YouTube for MMA reviews, predictions, analysis, and other MMA related content.
Did I miss where Thiago said it was hgh or anabolics? Couldn’t the injection into his spine been painkillers or something else?
You retired from kick boxing in 2006. If you had to do it all over again, would you have tried fighting in MMA?
Jean-Charles Skarbowsky: No.
exactly
Cortizone and oxy’ is what I figured.
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart." - Rickson Gracie
"Wanderlei eventually got to his feet and stalked Fujita like a Japanese octopus in an all-female prison." - Sean Baby Cracked.com
by the-gentle-way on Apr 7, 2011 4:33 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
seriously
I assumed it was painkillers
CHAMPION 2011
by BonesBloodyElbow on Apr 7, 2011 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Very likely it was cortisone and a local anesthetic.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Apr 7, 2011 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Of course, he could have also been using anabolic steroids, but not as direct injections into the spinal area like those.
"Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." -Mark Twain
"Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
by The American Ronin on Apr 7, 2011 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions
well there goes thiago's career
i wanted to see him fight rampage so bad
"I have smoked weed with alot of UFC champions" - Joe Rogan
"Você ta fudido. Se vai levar muita porrada, ta ligado?" - Anderson Silva
the staredown would have been the shit
They told me to put a signature here.......so I did.
by ANDERSONS GOT THE JUICE on Apr 7, 2011 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions
“The commission admitted that their inspectors were at fault for not catching the cheating process.” This might the first time a commission has admitted to having officials who suck. First step towards better judges?
Didn't read through this yet, but ... as a huge Thiago Silva fan, I think he should have ...
… been fined a percentage of his pay and the ENTIRETY of his win bonus.
And then God created Saturn ... and he liked it, so he put a ring on it.
SaberCats Examiner | SB Nation Bay Area | Niners Nation | Twitter
He could've just used someone else's urine
And not the synthetic kind and got away with it. Trusting some website with something like that? Wow, just…wow.
His "honest" lawyer writen excuse was even full of crap...
Constantly lying until the very end… He deserves his punishment.
ClearTest.com
All the other test takers now know not to get their samples from this site.
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