Anderson Silva pulled from fight with Kelvin Gastelum due to potential doping violation
Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva has been pulled from his upcoming main event fight against Kelvin Gastelum after he was flagged for a potential doping violation by USADA on Friday.
UFC officials announced the news while also stating that Silva has been placed on a provisional suspension as a result of his drug test being flagged.
“The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed Anderson Silva of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collected on October 26, 2017,” UFC offiicals said in the statement. “As a result, Silva has been provisionally suspended by USADA.
“Due to the proximity of Silva’s upcoming scheduled bout at UFC Fight Night, Shanghai, China on November 25, 2017 against Kelvin Gastelum, Silva has been removed from the card and UFC is currently seeking a replacement.”
Silva and Gastelum were set as the main event for the UFC’s first ever card in Shanghai, China on Nov. 25. Now with Silva out, the UFC will scramble to try and find a suitable replacement to face Gastelum on short notice.
As for Silva, he will be afforded an adjudication process by USADA as all athletes are granted when flagged for a potential doping violation.
This is not the first time Silva has landed in hot water due to drug testing, however, after he was suspended for a year in 2015 following his fight with Nick Diaz.
On that occasion, Silva tested positive for a pair of anabolic steroids — Drostanolone and Androstane — as well as a second test revealing a pair of anti-anxiety medications in his system as well.
Silva was handed a one-year suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and his win against Diaz was overturned to a no contest.
Due to rules of privacy, USADA is not allowed to reveal details about a drug test that has been flagged unless an athlete makes a public statement first. As of now, Silva has not made any statement after he was flagged for a potential doping violation.
