THE CANADIAN PRESS
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Mixed martial arts fighter James (The Sandman) Irvin has been suspended by the California State Athletic Commission after testing positive for anabolic steroids.
The commission said in a statement Wednesday evening that Irvin’s Dec. 2 test came back positive for epitrenbolone metabolite of trenbolone, an anabolic steroid.
The commission said it learned of the test results Dec. 23 and suspended Irvin’s licence retroactively to Dec. 3, 2010.
"The use of certain substances, including anabolic steroids, is prohibited under the commission’s regulations," George Dodd, the commission’s executive officer said in a statement. "Our primary concern is for the health and safety of fighters. Anabolic agents and other banned substances put not only the users of those agents at risk, but their opponents as well. The commission simply will not tolerate their use."
Trenbolone is a steroid used to increase muscle growth.
The commission statement did not explain why news of the failed drug test came more than two months after the results were known. The commission office was closed.
The commission said the 32-year-old Irvin has the right to appeal the suspension of his licence.
Irvin (15-8) lost to Jorge Oliveira via submission at a Tachi Palace Fights card Dec. 2 in Leemore, Calif.
The California light-heavyweight also failed a drug test in Nevada after losing to Anderson Silva in July 2008. The Nevada State Athletic Commission said his urine sample showed the presence of two unapproved painkillers: Methadone and Oxymorphone.
He was suspended for nine months and fined US$7,500.
In a March 2010 interview, Irvin told The Canadian Press his use of painkillers dated back to knee surgery following a 2007 fight. As injuries continued, he kept taking the pills during training.
He called the 2008 positive drug test a blessing in disguise.
Irvin is 1-4 with a no contest in his last six fights. His next outing was to have been a rematch with Houston (The Assassin) Alexander on a Shark Fights card.
