Ufn’s Marquardt Tests Positive For Steroids;
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UFN’s Marquardt Tests Positive for Steroids; WEF’s Levine and Helwig Suspended on Stimulant/Steroid Allegations By Loretta Hunt Test results received by the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Friday revealed the presence of the steroid nandrolone metabolite for August 6th’s UFC Ultimate Fight Night competitor Nathan Marquardt. Marquardt garnered a unanimous decision victory over Ivan Salaverry last week in the event’s marquee fight at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, which was televised live on Spike TV. Marquardt is the eighth mixed martial artist to be cited for illegal drug use by the NSAC since it started testing the sport in 2002. The Colorado native will have 20 days following the date of notification to respond in writing to the charges. NSAC Executive Director Marc Ratner has requested a temporary suspension of Marquardt’s license pending a hearing. Zuffa LLC, owners of the UFC, was verbally notified of the allegations today, while written notification was also sent out to Marquardt as well. "Boxer James Toney tested positive for nanodrolone and the New York State Athletic Commission made it a ‘no contest.’ We don’t have that regulation yet, but I think the [Nevada] Commission is going to look at [implementing] that to make it an even stronger deterrent to fighters." commented Chief Deputy Attorney General Keith Kizer this afternoon from Nevada. Kizer clarified that this potential amendment would not effect any ruling change in the Marquardt-Salaverry bout, unless it was deemed retroactive. On the heels of Marquardt’s allegations, World Extreme Fighting‘s Jamie Levine and Marty Helwig, who fought for the promotion’s middleweight championship on May 20th also at the Cox Pavilion, were both sentenced to suspensions at a hearing last Thursday. Helwig’s urinalysis also tested positive for the steroid nandrolone metabolite. Opponent and defending champion Levine’s results tested positive for the stimulants phendimetrazine and phenmetrazine, drugs that are not approved for use by the NSAC. Despite multiple notifications from the NSAC, as well as being provided with a toll-free number in which to speak with the five-member Commission at Thursday’s public hearing, Helwig did not contact the regulatory body regarding the allegations. Helwig was sentenced one year’s suspension from fighting in Nevada and was fined half the $300 purse he was paid for the championship bout. Levine spoke with the Commission via speaker phone, claiming the two stimulants he took were prescribed by a physician and he had no knowledge that they were restricted by the NSAC. When asked why he had not listed the stimulants as prescribed drugs he was currently taking on the NSAC’s pre-fight medical questionnaire, Levine claimed he had run out of the stimulants four days before the fight. After listening to Levine’s testimony, he was suspended from competing in Nevada for six months. He was not fined from his $2,000 purse. |
