This past June former UFC star Chael Sonnen failed not one, but two drug tests leading into his subsequently cancelled fight with long-time rival Wanderlei Silva.
Sonnen, who testsed positive for both human growth hormone (HGH) and Erythropoietin (EPO), chatted with well-respected MMA journalist Ariel Helwani in Sonnen’s debut episode of his new podcast entitled “ You’re Welcome “.
Helwani asked Sonnen in the interview about the fact that Sonnen has never come out and apologized. “People were saying ‘why doesn’t he say he’s sorry?’ Helwani said. Sonnen then interrupted and said “I’m not. I’m not going to apologize because I’m not sorry. I’m a consenting adult. I knew exactly what I was doing. This was a premeditated decision.”
Sonnen, who has grown to be one of the UFC’s biggest stars in the last 4 years, has never been apologetic about anything that he’s said or done in his entire career. So it’s no surprise and somewhat refreshing that he’s remaining unapologetic about his performance-enhancing drug use.
The former UFC star also had this to say about his performance-enhancing drug use.
“Here’s the problem, is that it worked. The problem is, it helps. There’s a term out there, performance-enhancing drug. The reality is, it’s all medicine. All medicine is made to make you better. If it did the opposite, it would be malpractice. You’re not going to the doctor to say give me something to make me worse. I was taking things and they were making me feel a little better.”
Sonnen, 37, suffers from a medical condition known as hypergonadism. As a result he was on testosterone replacement therapy for the majority of his professional mixed-martial-arts career. In January of this year, the Nevada State Athletic Commission made testosterone replacement therapy illegal.
“If you’re going to try to get away with something, if you’re beat, you’re beat,” Sonnen said. “There’s nothing more to it, there’s nothing more to the story. I took something, I was caught, I got tarnished and that’s it.”
In June of this year Sonnen announced his retirement from mixed-martial-arts, and was fired from his analyst role at Fox . On top of that he also received a two year ban from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which prevents him from fighting for the next two years.
There has been speculation that Sonnen will attempt to return to the cage after he’s served his suspension. Would you like to see “The American Gangster” eventually return to the octagon? Do you think he should be apologetic about his performance-enhancing drug use?
