Manager guarantees: 'Anderson Silva was lucky to only get hooked for a year'

Anderson (right) during the hearing at the Athletic Commission. Photo: Reproduction

More than six months after being caught in two anti-doping tests for using anabolic steroids and anxiolytics, Anderson Silva he finally went to trial this Thursday (13) and, in a unanimous decision by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NSAC), he was suspended with the maximum sentence of one year. In the opinion of the director of the regulatory body Bob Bennett, however, the punishment ended up being cheap for Anderson, who, according to him, could have caught an even bigger hook if he had been judged under the entity's new legislation.

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“He is lucky that we have not yet implemented the new fines and punishments, or this could end his professional future,” said the director, in an interview with the “Combate” channel website. “It was pretty obvious that it was a challenge for Anderson to fill out the pre-fight questionnaire. To be more honest and frank, the questionnaire was false, he did not answer it correctly, his testimony was inconsistent.(…) Anderson had many unsatisfactory explanations, their answers were inconsistent, inappropriate, he was not familiar with dates and times and, then, out of nowhere, he remembered these details. Therefore, the chairman and commissioners felt it would be appropriate to fine him and punish him with the highest penalty available,” he added.

The new NSAC regulations, which come into effect on September 1st, provide for an increase in the minimum penalties for athletes found to be anti-doping, as well as an increase in the portion of fighters' salaries corresponding to the fine. It is worth mentioning that, even if Anderson's trial was held after the date of the new regulation, he would be judged according to the old rule, as it was in force at the time he was caught.

Despite the very critical tone towards Anderson, however, Bob Bennett echoed to the official statement released by the UFC and showed respect for Spider's history in MMA. “I would also like to recognize Anderson for the phenomenal career he has had so far, and will continue to have, because it is not over. He is one of the former great fighters in MMA and gets a lot of credit for everything he has achieved. What you saw here today was the result of his behavior in these tests in and out of competition, but we do not want to diminish or detract from the significant achievements that Mr Silva has achieved over the years”, he concluded.