In a stunninng development, one that I’ve never heard of, Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz, both failed their UFC 183 drug test.
Silva– widely regarded as the greatest mixed martial arts fighter in history — tested positive for the anabolic steroid drostanolone. Diaz was positive for marijuana.
Silva actually should have missed the fight.
His test for drostanolone was discovered as part of an out-of-competition test given by the Nevada Athletic Commission on Jan. 9. But the Salt Lake City-based Sports Medicine Research & Testing Laboratory did not return the result to the commisison until Tuesday.
The UFC issued a statement but made no other comment:
On February 3, 2015, the UFC organization was notified by the Nevada State Athletic Commission that Anderson Silva tested positive for Drostanolone metabolites on his Jan. 9 out of competition drug test. UFC’s understanding is that further testing will be conducted by the Commission to confirm these preliminary results. Anderson Silva has been an amazing champion and a true ambassador of the sport of mixed martial arts and the UFC, in Brazil as well as around the world. UFC is disappointed to learn of these initial results. The UFC has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents by its athletes.