Chris Leben has tested positive for the performance-enhancing illegal steroid known as Stanazolol in the wake of his unanimous decision loss to Michael Bisping in the main event at UFC 89: "Leben vs. Bisping" at The National Indoor Arena (NIA) in Birmingham, England, on October 18.
As a result "The Crippler" will be suspended for nine months and fined one-third of his fight purse. The earliest he can compete again inside the Octagon is August 2009.
It's the latest in a string of setbacks for Leben who has battled with alcohol for more than 15 years. He served a prison sentence earlier this year for an old Driving Under the Influence (DUI) probation violation in Portland, Ore., to ensure that he would be cleared to leave the United States to fight "The Count."
Clearly, he's not happy with himself after declaring major progress in his personal and professional lives, according to a statement release via UFC.com.
Here's a snip:
"I’ve really done everything I can to turn my life around, and this is a huge setback for me, but it is something I will have to deal with. During my time off from fighting, I want to speak to kids about the dangers of using performance enhancing agents and let them know it just doesn’t get you ahead in life. Of course this is a hard hit for me monetarily, but more so this is embarrassing for me and for all of my fans. I apologize to the UFC and everyone who supported me in my fight in England. I hope to work through this and get back to fighting soon."
UFC Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner -- who is also the former Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) executive director -- is the man responsible for administering the tests because their are no official regulatory bodies overseas that can monitor the process.
Therefore, kudos to the organization for policing itself and making the results public ... it was certainly under no obligation to be so forthcoming.
The report indicates that the "remaining 21 fighters on the UFC 89 card all passed their pre and post fight drug tests."
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