THE CANADIAN PRESS
Brazilian light-heavyweight Thiago Silva has admitted to doping and tampering with his urine at a UFC 125 drug test.
The confession comes just days after the Nevada State Athletic Commission alleged the 28-year-old mixed martial arts fighter from Sao Paolo submitted a specimen that was "inconsistent with human urine" before his Jan. 1 win over Brandon (The Truth) Vera.
Silva subsequently issued a statement acknowledging he had taken a prohibited substance and then tried to conceal it by using a "urine adulterant."
"I did so in an attempt to alter the results of the test and knowingly broke the rules of the Nevada Athletic Commission," he said. "This was a terrible decision on my part for which I will be punished. I am prepared to accept this punishment, learn from it and move on.
"I apologize to the commission, the UFC, Brandon Vera and the MMA fans."
Silva’s win could be turned into a no contest.
He also faces losing his licence to fight, a suspension and/or fine from the Nevada commission. A hearing is set for April 7.
Vera, after suffering his third straight defeat, was cut by the UFC in the wake of the Silva loss. But he has since been reinstated.
Silva (15-2) is a highly regarded 205-pounder whose lone losses have been to Rashad Evans and Lyota Machida, both former UFC light-heavyweight champions.
A jiu-jitsu black belt and dangerous striker, he is known for his trademark throat-slitting gesture to the camera after wins.
In his statement, the six-foot-one Silva said the chain of events leading to his decision to cheat started with a severe back injury shortly before the Evans fight in the main event of UFC 108 in January 2010.
"It was the biggest fight of my career and there was no way I was going to pull out of it," he said. "I fought and lost and was out of action for a year rehabilitating the injury and getting ready to fight again.
"I reinjured 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.
"These decisions were mine and mine alone. I did not share this information with anyone prior to the fight for fear that I would not be allowed to fight. I obviously made a terrible decision. I have since learned that it may have even been possible to fight had I been open and honest and disclosed the injury and treatment prior to the fight. I also realize that not being allowed to fight as a result of the treatment would have been a better result than the mess into which I have now gotten myself."
Silva said he was offering an explanation, not an excuse and takes full responsibility for his actions.
"I will accept the punishment I receive and will learn from this. I plan to come back as a better person and professional as a result."
He also said he had passed five previous drug tests while fighting for the UFC.
"We make decisions every day of our lives," he said. "Some are good and some are bad. When you make a bad decision, you can either make the situation worse by trying to cover it up or lie about it or just stick your head in the sand and refuse to acknowledge it even happened or you can own up to it with an honest explanation, accept the consequences of your actions, apologize to the people affected by it, learn from it and move on.
"I’m choosing the second option."
