Former UFC champion Anderson Silva accepts USADA suspension

Bengaluru, July 19: UFC star Anderson Silva accepts one-year suspension from the USADA after it determined contaminated substances caused his positive drug test.

USADA announced on Wednesday (July 18) that the former UFC middleweight champion has accepted a one-year suspension, which is back-dated to November 10, 2017. The news was first reported by ESPN's Ariel Helwani.

The Spider tested positive for methyltestosterone metabolites and hydrochlorothiazide. The positive test result forced Silva out of a scheduled fight with Kelvin Gastelum. He should now be able to return to competition later this year.

Anderson Silva is going to receive a one-year suspension from USADA dating back to Oct. 2017 after it was deemed his positive drug test was due to contaminated substances, sources confirm. He will be eligible to return in Oct. 2018 and wants to resume his career.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 18, 2018

USADA issued a statement on Silva's punishment shortly after Helwani broke the news and revealed that Silva will be eligible to return to action on November 10.

"Silva's one-year period of ineligibility began on November 10, 2017, the date his provisional suspension was imposed," an excerpt of the statement read.

"Silva will be eligible to return to competition upon the completion of his sanction on November 10, 2018."

Silva was very happy with the verdict and in a statement to ESPN via his team, said: "I am vindicated. The past nine months have been extremely difficult.

"I felt like my career and everything I had worked so hard for was dying and my future was hanging in the balance. I knew in my heart that I had done nothing wrong and fully cooperated with USADA during their inquiry to prove it.

"Today I have a renewed energy. My legacy is restored. I can focus on getting back into the ring and the next chapter of my life after fighting."

Anderson Silva Accepts Sanction for Violation of UFC Anti-Doping Policy https://t.co/BpTpqubwI6 pic.twitter.com/idujsed74X

— USADA | UFC Anti-Doping Program (@USADA_UFC) July 18, 2018

Silva was flagged for three separate methyltestosterone metabolites and the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide following an out-of-competition urine test conducted October 26 last year.

Silva joins three other Brazilian UFC fighters who were given reduced suspensions as the result of purchasing supplements from compounding pharmacies.

The three in question were ex-heavyweight champ Junior Dos Santos, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Marcos Rogerio de Lima, who accepted six-month suspensions. But, Silva was given a one-year term as this was his second anti-doping violation.

Back in 2015, Silva was suspended for a year after he failed two drug tests in connection with a win against Nick Diaz at UFC 183. The result was later over-turned after he tested positive for drostanolone metabolites and androstane as well as temazepam and oxazepam.

Silva faced a four-year suspension with his second anti-doping violation, but avoided a career-ending punishment with just a year of suspension as he was cleared of intentionally taking the banned steroid discovered in his system last year.

(With inputs from agencies)