Dear Dana,
The fights were great this weekend, and yet again, the UFC proved that quality performances can turn a weak fight card into a great event. Unfortunately, I’m not here to talk about fights, nor am I hear to shower the UFC with praise. I have a request. It’s not an outrageous request, just one that I believe the UFC needs to act on to maintain professionalism as a major sports organization.
The request: Ban Chael Sonnen from the UFC. Keep him far away from the promotion.
On Saturday, the self proclaimed gangster from West Linn, Oregon had a tough run-in with a drug test. For the second time in a week, Sonnen failed a drug test, but this time, he did so in spectacular fashion.
Human growth hormone (HGH), recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO), anastrozole and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Those are the four drugs that Sonnen tested positive for, with the former two, HGH and EPO, being what caused famed cyclist Lance Armstrong to be banned from cycling and stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.
So why did Sonnen have all of those drugs in his system? Whatever the answer to that question is, which only Sonnen can give, the truth remains that Sonnen has failed three drug tests while employed by the UFC. This isn’t baseball, though with all the performance enhancers you’d think it was, but for the UFC, third strike, and Sonnen should be out.
Speaking of baseball, the steroid era gave the MLB a bad reputation that still haunts them. The lack of testing, the willingness to let major players like Barry Bonds and Mark McGuire get away without punishment for their involvement with performance enhancers was crazy. Even the small, half season suspensions of award winning, drug taking players like Ryan Braun and Manny Ramirez showed a lack of effort to clean up the sport.
Baseball is now assimilated with steroids, and the UFC could easily fall into association with the two if they don’t make an example out of Chael Sonnen. He’s a great personality, a charismatic figure, but at the end of the day, he will have the label of cheat pinned to his chest.
In no way am I saying that Sonnen is a terrible human being and that the UFC should try and ruin the man’s life. Should he receive a ban from the UFC? Yes. Does it matter that he is retired? No. The point of the ban would be to make a statement. Take drugs, get caught, automatic banned. No running away from the tests, no retiring to avoid punishment, no letting the commissions handle the punishment solely.
The trickier question is whether or not Sonnen should be allowed to continue his job at UFC Tonight and to work closely with the UFC on other projects. As great of an analyst as Sonnen is, the UFC, for their image and credibility, need to strip Sonnen of his duties for a good period of time. Send a statement to other fighters and to fans that the UFC has a zero tolerance policy for those who take performance enhancers.
On the bright side Dana, it looks like the new drug tests are working, so I’ll give you that. The biggest problem this sport has, as do many others do, is finding testing that will find the types of drugs that Sonnen had in his system.
The number $45,000 has been thrown around for how expensive the test Sonnen took and failed was. It looks like the tests are paying off, but the UFC has to follow up. More guys are going to get caught because of these new tests, and the best way to deter fighters from using drugs is by whipping fighters like Sonnen. A harsh, crule punishment that is deservedly so.
Please Dana, do what is right for the sport and follow the request. Remove and ban Sonnen from the UFC. You have done it to Tito Ortiz, Frank Shamrock and Randy Couture. Three legends of the sport, who all never tested positive for banned substances while in the UFC.
No Hall of Fame for Sonnen, no UFC Tonight for Sonnen, and no more fighting inside of the UFC for Sonnen. Chael was slowly becoming a hero for the UFC, but unfortunately stayed around long enough to die off as a villain.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @MikeHutchLWOS. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
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Main Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
