Sonnen tests positive in a surprise drug test and is withdrawn from fight against Belfort

C. Sonnen (photo) tested positive in a surprise anti-doping test. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

UPDATE: Sonnen admits doping and blames change in rules

The soap opera involving the UFC 175 fights, which will take place on July 5th, in Las Vegas (USA), seems to be far from over. This Tuesday (10), the Nevada State Athletic Commission (whose acronym in English is NSAC) announced that Chael Sonnen, which would fight against Vitor belfort, failed a surprise anti-doping test and will therefore not be able to participate in the event.

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The confirmation was given by Francisco Aguilar, a member of the NSAC, on the website of the North American broadcaster ESPN. Sonnen's examination detected two banned substances, anastrozole and clomiphene, which are used, respectively, to treat breast cancer and female infertility.

Both substances are on the banned list of WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency. Anastrozole is considered an aromatase inhibitor, also applied after steroid use. Clomiphene helps increase the body's production of testosterone.

Sources confirmed to ESPN that Sonnen will not make any appeal regarding what happened. Therefore, it is likely that the fighter will receive a suspension due to the positive test.

Originally, Sonnen was going to face Wanderlei Silva at UFC 175, but the Brazilian was removed from the fight for refusing to take a surprise anti-doping test. His replacement was Belfort, who is still not 100% guaranteed in the fight, as he needs to receive a license to fight in Las Vegas. The “Phenomenon” also failed a surprise anti-doping test held in February, before the ban on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in MMA.

This was the second time that Sonnen failed a drug test. In 2010, after his first fight against Anderson Silva, the North American was detected with a high level of epitestosterone in his body, which earned him a one-year suspension.