UFC middleweight legend Anderson Silva was handed a year suspension in an NSAC hearing that included a mysterious blue vial and many songs about sex.
After hours of testifying, UFC middleweight legend Anderson Silva has been suspended for one year by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC). Silva tested positive for Drostanolone metabolites and Androsterone during a pre-fight test for UFC 183.
In a bizarre hearing today the former UFC Middleweight Champion pleaded the fifth through a translator when asked about a "blue vial" that contained a sexual performance supplement. The supplement is what Silva's defense claimed to have caused one of the positive tests.
Silva later said that the translator misinterpreted him, and that the supplement was provided to him from a friend from Thailand. Silva said he could not get the supplement in America, and did not clarify what the supplement was.
Silva's defense was picked apart by the NAC, with one commissioner calling their defense "hokey". The defense would not provide documents on drug tests that they had run.
Anderson Silva's attorney tried pleading with the commission that Silva did not know that the supplements he took contained illegal supplements.
"If someone is taking supplements for a different purpose and those supplements are contaminated with something on the banned list, that must be considered," Silva's attorney said.
The hearing was also berated by phone ringtones going off at random moments, including tracks like "Let's Talk About Sex" by Salt-N-Pepa, "It Wasn't Me" by Shaggy as well as "Bump N' Grind" by R. Kelly.
The commission also voted for Silva's fight at UFC 183 against Nick Diaz to be changed from a unanimous decision win for Silva to a no-contest due to the drug test failure. The vote was unanimous and the result is officially a no-contest. Silva also forfeited his $200,000 win bonus and 30% of his $600,000 fight purse, totaling to $380,000 in fines.
Nick Diaz also failed one of his drug tests for the UFC 183 fight, testing positive for marijuana metabolites over the allowable limit. Diaz will face the NSAC for a ruling at a later date.
Silva's suspension begins as of the date of his last fight on January 31st, 2015, making him eligible to return as early as February 2016, provided he submits and passes a drug test upon re-application in the state of Nevada next year.
