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Report: Royce Gracie fails drug test
By Zach Arnold | June 14, 2007
Mixed martial arts icon Royce Gracie (Pictures), best known as the slender gi-wearing Brazilian who twisted oversized competitors into knots during the early days of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, tested positive for traces of Nandrolone, a commonly used anabolic steroid, following his decision win over Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures), June 2 in Los Angeles, the California State Athletic Commission revealed Thursday.
“Royce Gracie who last competed for FEG Hero’s on June 2, 2007 in Los Angeles, California has been suspended for the remainder of his licensing year and fined $2,500 for testing positive for Nandrolone Metabolite. The suspension period runs from the conclusion of the bout on June 2, 2007 through May 30, 2008.
Mr. Gracie has 30 days from the date on his suspension letter to appeal.”
Further analysis at MMA Weekly. The obvious question that comes to mind is why Royce would get busted for nandrolone in a fight against a washed-up Kazushi Sakuraba, but not in last year’s fight against Matt Hughes where cheating would have been more necessary. Answer to that question — David Avila reports that there was no steroid testing in California at the time of the Royce/Hughes fight.
Topics: HERO's, K-1, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 17 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
How a legend falls…
This is horrible news for K-1. Now, if they use Choi or Gracie before their suspensions are up, they won’t be able to ever hold a card again in CA. And you can be sure that Nevada would back them up as well.
If you think this will stop Tanigawa from booking Royce/Sakuraba III and making millions of dollars in Japan, you better think twice.
More details up now on MMAWeekly, including word from the CSAC specifically on the consequences if K-1/FEG or any other MMA promotion uses Royce Gracie, Hong-Man Choi, or Antonio Silva.
Ivan,
I touched upon that above. I am very happy MMA Weekly is talking about it. These suspensions have far greater implications to competition of the UFC. Silva can’t be used by EliteXC. Choi & Gracie can’t be used by K-1. This is going to hurt their business one way or the other.
There are scientists who claim Nandrolone can be naturally created by the body if you eat a high protein diet and engage in regular strenuous exercise. Plenty of other scientists say that is total bull. A lot of Euro cyclists get busted for Nandrolone. Get ready to hear team Gracie say it is natural and pull out a load of scientists.
Zach, I think, if anything, the Hughes fight had something to do with Royce using steroids. Royce returned to the Octagon a living legend and he not only lost, but was just manhandled by Hughes. Now, facing and old foe, one to whom he’s had to previously admit defeat, the stakes were even higher, in terms of Royce’s pride.
The proof is in his body. The guy bulked up a decent amount. That is really hard to do around the age of 40.
My, how the not so mighty have fallen…
They must be loving this news in Japan. Zach, any word?
Japan is focused on a two-page ‘scandal’ article about Ishii/K-1 in Friday. If someone gets a hold of this, let me know ASAP.
Here is the NHB News (Japanese) thread on the Royce failed drug test.
What’s next for the K-1/Elite XC alliance? Is their Golden Boy Frank Shamrock going to get KO’d in a week? I see it happening. Pro Elite will be left with Jake Shields and ….. Well, just Jake Shields….
I think it’s funny that the CSAC doesn’t have a ‘No Contest’ rule in place for positive drug testing (like in most of the big athletic commissions; from the MMAWeekly article):
Tomer…I think even in Nevada, that is a relatively new rule. Barnett & Sylvia didn’t have their wins overturned after they tested positive.
On the other hand, the NJSACB had the rule in effect pretty much from the get-go.
I’ll try to give him the benefit of the doubt that the higher level of testosterone in his body was the result of a high protein diet and rigorous exercise. It can happen that way. BUT…
If he did use Nastrolone(?), then he CHEATED. He cheated against a guy that is respected by the family, even though he’s known as the Gracie-Killer. If he cheated, he has lost his honor.
Mr. Roadblock,
Nandrolone is produced in the body, it’s theorized to be during the conversion from testosterone to estrogen. However, the quantities are below the test threshold even amongst hard training athletes as indicated by a few studies. I don’t recall high protein diets being discussed though. I doubt it would have an effect and at any rate the athletes in the studies were probably eating high protein diets anyway since they tend to.
Zack,
The NSAC does not uniformily use the NC ruling as seen in Thiago Alves vs. Tony DeSouza. When questioned on it, Kizer said that Alves didn’t test positive for a steroid (spironolactone is actually a steroid, it’s just not an anabolic androgenic steroid), so a NC wasn’t in order. Funnily enough, he didn’t have a reply when he was informed that Cannabis, the drug Diaz was caught using, is also not a steroid.