Alistair Overeem issues statement on UFC 146 removal, blames prescribed medication for elevated T/E ratio

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Alistair Overeem's camp issued a statement from the heavyweight this morning, giving his explanation for an elevated T/E ratio in a March pre-fight drug test. He was expected to meet with the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Tuesday, and was pulled from the UFC 146 main event last Friday. Here's Overeem's statement:

To my friends and fans,

I am deeply saddened to announce that on Friday, April 20, I respectfully withdrew from the May 26 event so that I can request a continuance until my situation with the Nevada State Athletic Commission is resolved.

I cannot express how sorry I am to the Commission, Junior Dos Santos, the fans, the owners and employees of the UFC, my friends and family and anyone else who this has affected.

I absolutely do not believe in, nor do I use performance-enhancing drugs. I am a clean fighter and I will do whatever it takes to prove this to everyone.

Prior to the UFC 146 press conference in March, I aggravated an old rib injury on my left side. My doctor prescribed, and I accepted, an anti-inflammatory medication that was mixed with testosterone. I was completely unaware that testosterone was one of the ingredients in the medication. Although I was unaware, I do realize it is my job to know what I am putting into my body.

I respect the Nevada Commissioners and Executive Director Keith Kizer and what they are doing to keep the sport of mixed martial arts regulated and safe for athletes. I look forward to working with them in the days and weeks ahead.

Friends and fans, I ask for your patience as I work through this matter. Please support me. I promise to return to the Octagon soon."

Penick's Analysis: It's a plausible explanation, though the the fact that it took almost four weeks for something to be said will definitely seem fishy. If he's asking for a "continuance" with the NSAC, this may not get resolved tomorrow at their hearing. However, if it's as simple as this anti-inflammatory drug containing testosterone, I'm not sure what a continuance will accomplish for Overeem. The NSAC may or may not buy the explanation, and it will depend upon the evidence he presents to them. Also, if testosterone was that present in a medicine he was prescribed, so much so that his ratio was put that out of whack, that is something he should have known, and should have looked at a different type of treatment for the injury. He's going to need a lot of evidence to sway the NSAC in this one, I think.

[Alistair Overeem art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_13103.shtml

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