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**Soojooko** · 05-11-2011, 06:18 AM

Quote:

That headline is not a typo: ESPN.com’s MMA page is reporting that UFC middleweight contender Chael Sonnen is suspended from fighting in not one, but two states.

Sonnen has had an ongoing issue with the Nevada State Athletic Commission ever since having his fighter’s license suspended for failing a drug test back in September of 2010.

That suspension, reduced from one year to six months, was over in March, but Sonnen has yet to receive a new license in Nevada.

CSAC executive officer George Dodd said the suspension was issued after their legal panel felt that Sonnen may “have perjured himself during a testimony at an appeal hearing in December related to his ban for elevated levels of testosterone.”

This seriously affects Sonnen’s ability to get back in the Octagon, since this suspension “asks North American regulatory bodies to contact California before issuing the UFC middleweight contender a license to compete, corner, promote or act as a manager.”

Sonnen and his lawyers asked for a CSAC special hearing on May 18 in Los Angeles to have the suspension revoked, and the CSAC obliged.

The topics will not just pertain to Sonnen’s failed drug test for elevated testosterone; the legal charges he received last month from a money laundering scandal in Oregon are also going to be brought into the discussion.

Just to reiterate, Sonnen received 24 months' probation, a $10,000 fine and the suspension of his realtor’s license in that case.

Dodd eventually decided that Sonnen’s questionable testimony, as well as his actions as a business professional, brought "discredit to the mixed martial arts community," which he felt was enough to suspend his license indefinitely.

Officials in both California and Nevada agree that no one was aware that Sonnen was receiving testosterone therapy for hypogonadism, a condition that limits the body’s natural production of the hormone.

ESPN.com also reports that Sonnen has been receiving treatment for this condition since February of 2008. However, Florida’s athletic commission indicated that Sonnen’s drug test from his November 2008 fight with Paulo Filho came back clean.

Marc Ratner, the head of regulatory affairs in the UFC, indicated that he had “no idea whatsoever” that Sonnen was receiving prescribed testosterone until his failed drug test in 2010.

Ratner, who is also a former head of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, indicated that he never gave Sonnen permission to receive testosterone therapy, although a “therapeutic use exemption” is not unheard of in this situation.

Even more interestingly, Dr. Jeff Davidson, a physician hired by the UFC, says that he knew about Sonnen’s hypogonadism treatment prior to his August title fight with Anderson Silva.

This actually further hurts Sonnen’s case, though, as Davidson wrote to the CSAC that Sonnen never disclosed his treatment to regulators.

Should Sonnen fail to have the suspension repealed on the 18th of this month, it is quite possible that his MMA career could come to an unceremonious end.

The hole what Sonnen dug gets deeper.

Having said that, I cant find any trace of a parent article at ESPN like this article suggests. Being Bleacher Report, you never know if its bullshit.

**Hammerlock2.0** · 05-11-2011, 06:39 AM

Is this an election year for the NSAC and CSAC?

As far as I'm concerned the commissions are a bunch of babies. If it's true that UFC doctors knew that Chael was on therapy then how does that hurt his case in any way?

**SmackyBear** · 05-11-2011, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammerlock2.0

Is this an election year for the NSAC and CSAC?

If it's true that UFC doctors knew that Chael was on therapy then how does that hurt his case in any way?

The officials in an athletic commission are usually appointed.

Quote:

This actually further hurts Sonnen’s case, though, as Davidson wrote to the CSAC that Sonnen never disclosed his treatment to regulators.

If that's true, it means that Sonnen perjured himself in front of the CSAC for his hearing. He said he informed them before his fight with Yushin Okami, and thought he still had clearance to use it anytime he fought in California.

**Toxic** · 05-11-2011, 08:33 AM

This is just turning into a witch hunt, the guy cheated and got caught but multiple time cheats and people who have done worse have all been forgiven once the suspension was served. This is blatantly an attack against Sonnen because there is no precedent where they done this to anyone else.

Drogo · 05-11-2011, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxic

This is blatantly an attack against Sonnen because there is no precedent where they done this to anyone else.

Has anyone else been caught perjuring themselves at a hearing?

BobbyCooper · 05-11-2011, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxic

This is just turning into a witch hunt, the guy cheated and got caught but multiple time cheats and people who have done worse have all been forgiven once the suspension was served. This is blatantly an attack against Sonnen because there is no precedent where they done this to anyone else.

They now finally start making an example out of Chael's case. People need to realize that if you cheat, you need to live with the consequences once and for all. Otherwise if we continue like we do now, then MMA will become the new cycling Sport.. which nobody will take granted for in the future and might as well die out forever.

You will never be able to stop cheater's in such a high-performance sport, but we need to do everything possible to keep it at a minimum.

**Hammerlock2.0** · 05-11-2011, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drogo

Has anyone else been caught perjuring themselves at a hearing?

Wow, I didn't know he was under oath. And I didn't know anyone had actual proof that Chael lied. The commissions SAY he lied. All we know for sure is the evidence that Chael presented says that the NSAC knew about everything and we know he didn't get the usual one year suspension, so we can assume that there's something unusual going on. Kizer is ultimately the judge, so his word is law and he says Chael didn't inform him. Tough luck, I guess. Plus I find it highly suspicious that the UFC's doctors knew of his condition and the commission supposedly didn't. How is that even possible?

At this point I'd bet my house (if I had one) that Thiago Silva will have another fight before Chael even gets his license back. And that guy did things to the commission hundred times worse than Chael.

**limba** · 05-11-2011, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxic

This is just turning into a witch hunt, the guy cheated and got caught but multiple time cheats and people who have done worse have all been forgiven once the suspension was served. This is blatantly an attack against Sonnen because there is no precedent where they done this to anyone else.

Exactly!

The guy cheated.
He got banned/suspended.
Suspenssion is over!!!

And now...another athletic comission suspends him?! Because..."Sonnen may have perjured ...."

That's one of the *stupidest* arguments i've ever heard.

What a bunch of retards!

This whole situation smells like *politics*.

Drogo · 05-11-2011, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammerlock2.0

Wow, I didn't know he was under oath. And I didn't know anyone had actual proof that Chael lied. The commissions SAY he lied. All we know for sure is the evidence that Chael presented says that the NSAC knew about everything and we know he didn't get the usual one year suspension, so we can assume that there's something unusual going on. Kizer is ultimately the judge, so his word is law and he says Chael didn't inform him. Tough luck, I guess. Plus I find it highly suspicious that the UFC's doctors knew of his condition and the commission supposedly didn't. How is that even possible?

At this point I'd bet my house (if I had one) that Thiago Silva will have another fight before Chael even gets his license back. And that guy did things to the commission hundred times worse than Chael.

I was responding to Toxic saying this is without precedent, I wasn't making any claims about the veracity of perjury accusations. Toxic makes this sound unreasonable, my point is; maybe this is without precedent because this situation hasn't happened before. Or maybe it has, I don't know. I've never heard of a case like this (perjury along with the failed drug test, not just the drug issue).

**BrianRClover** · 05-11-2011, 09:20 AM

There is a simple explanation for all of this... kharma. Sonnen spent the better part of a year acting like a complete jackass. He has ruined his own career in an attempt to ruin Anderson Silva's, if that isn't kharma I don't know what is.

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