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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
After his initial sample came back inconclusive at UFC 168, Dennis Siver's second sample was sent for further testing. Those results are back, as MMAJunkie.com's Steven Marrocco reported on Twitter that he's tested positive for hCG.
UFC 168's Denis Siver has been flagged for hCG, NSAC in process of issuing temp suspension pending hearing.
This particular hormone is known to be used in steroid cycles by athletes, to kick their natural testosterone production into gear after anabolic steroid use shuts their system off. It's the same drug Major League Baseball's Manny Ramirez was caught using in 2009 that led to a 50 game suspension, as well as the NFL's Brian Cushing, who received a four-game ban in 2010 for the drug.
Further punishment for Siver will be doled out by the commission at a future meeting, and as Marrocco stated, a temporary suspension is being put in place until then. His win over Manny Gamburyan will likely be overturned to a no contest at that time.
Penick's Analysis: This just highlights the need for random drug testing in MMA, and flies against any argument UFC President Dana White wants to make to the contrary. This is one of the scenarios where Siver likely mistimed his cycle, so this drug was still in his system, but whatever anabolics he may have been using prior to administering hCG are unknown, because he wasn't tested in camp where he'd have reaped the benefits of the drugs. The drug problem in the sport won't go away with the TRT ban, and the quicker the UFC and athletic commissions move to random drug testing that includes blood and more comprehensive urine testing, the better off the sport as a whole will be.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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