The Case Against Anderson: Why 'The Spider' Needs to Provide Answers ASAP

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC

Testing positive for banned substances in a drug test was a big blow to Anderson Silva and his until-now immaculate career. The confirmation of a second positive test, however—flagging Anderson yet again for metabolites of drostanolone as well as the new discovery of a couple of benzodiazepines—has every component necessary to precipitate the burial of any sort of chance at redemption for the former UFC Middleweight Champion of the World.

This situation could spell the very end of Anderson “The Spider” Silva as a professional fighter, and let him fall from soaring heights before the eyes of all the people who’ve grown to adore his style and personality over almost 20 years. Or it's another great opportunity for him to display his fortitude.

The rumor about Anderson’s second failed drug test took flight last week, but on Tuesday, February 17th, the Nevada State Athletic Commission confirmed that beyond the first failed drug test—administered on January 9th and revealing the use of drostanolone and androsterone—Anderson Silva also failed a second test. This time, it was administered on the night of fight, and it revealed further presence of drostanolone, as well as Oxazepam and Temazepam, which treat anxiety and sleeplessness. On Tuesday’s hearing, the Nevada State Athletic Commission moved to temporarily suspend Anderson Silva until a disciplinary hearing was scheduled.

The biggest problem for Anderson now is that, after denying any use of performance-enhancing drugs when the first test came to light, he has to explain why a second test—on fight night of all times—revealed the same substance. At first, it could've been error or someone else’s doing. Now, at the very least it isn’t an error. It’s also worth noting that to this day, Anderson Silva’s camp has not requested Anderson’s B Sample to at least try to thwart these allegations.

Drostanolone is a very popular designer steroid that bodybuilders use. It’s an injectable product, and it starts to take effect in up to three weeks. This substance increases the testosterone levels without fussing with the estrogen levels. Bodybuilders tend to use it in the final stages of their preparation to compete. The application cycle goes from one to three months of hormone injections.

Because drostanolone breaks down in the body rather quickly, Anderson must have undergone at least a couple of cycles. Having been tested twice and shown up positive for this substance twice points to the fact that Anderson Silva—knowingly or not—took this PED at least twice. Also important and interesting, the short amount of time it takes for the body to break this down also makes it difficult to catch in anti-doping evaluations.

Surely, the drostanolone could have been used to assist in the healing of Anderson’s leg, which he savagely injured in his last encounter with Chris Weidman.

As far as the benzodiazepines found in his body go, they aren’t listed as banned substances, neither by the NSAC nor the World Anti-Doping Agency, but the fact that the commission has been talking about these two extra drugs means that Anderson’s punishment will most likely be quite heavy. According to the NSAC, Anderson should have said in his medical forms that he had been taking these very legal, regulated medications. Because he didn’t, the NSAC is calling these out.

What does a man in Anderson Silva’s position do? What could he do?

Last Friday, February 20th, Anderson broke his silence of some two weeks, went to Instagram, and said he didn’t know what to apologize for. At this point, if he’s still denying the use of performance-enhancing drugs at any point in time—even when two separate tests have revealed information pointing to just the opposite of that claim—there must be some other forces at play. He either didn’t know he was taking these things, or he did. If he did, he most either took them to facilitate the healing of his leg—and still too shocked that he got caught or embarrassed to say anything—or he took it to gain an edge over Nick Diaz.

We cannot ignore the doctors involved in Anderson’s training and care-giving. Might they be prescribing something to Anderson and are coming short when being perfectly transparent when informing him of these prescriptions? It could be a mistake, or an extreme taken measure taken by a doctor who perceived this situation as being one that needed extreme measures to be taken. And since he said in his statement on Instagram that he would be sending all of the medications he was administered to a lab for evaluation, then he most likely will try to ride on the possibility of there having been oversight when it came to his prescriptions.

Were this to be the case, his penalty would most likely not be any different than if he had taken those substances knowingly, but it will affect his image in the eyes of the community and the world at large. If he’s suspended, it’ll be for anywhere between nine months and a year.

Or perhaps, Anderson Silva took this knowingly as a way to accelerate the recovery of his leg. But why wouldn’t have he said that immediately, taking it from there, instead of standing so arduously behind his innocence?

When this case is resolved, he’ll almost definitely be suspended. But if he’s suspended for a year, then he might use that time to explain himself and regain the trust of his fans and of the mixed martial arts community. Maybe then he’ll be allowed to return, have another fight and retire somewhat redeemed. Most importantly, he’ll have to bridge the gaping hole he created by getting caught positive for PEDs, when in the past he’s been such an unforgiving critic of users, saying that those caught should be banished from the sport. Chael Sonnen probably got out of this all relatively unscathed because when he got caught he already didn’t have the image of a hero, but rather that of an antagonist.

At this point, Anderson can either come out and commit to a position in which a mistake was made by someone in his team—or at least apologize—or stand by his current stance and wait out his suspension. If he does the latter he can come back, fight again and show the world that this was nothing but a fluke. But if he is to admit to a mistake of his own, he needs to do it very soon. Reconstruction must start immediately if he is to salvage what remains of his professional career. If he admits to a mistake of his own, however, will he be forgiven?

In March, the Nevada State Athletic Commission will gather its members again. This time, Anderson Silva is expected to appear to present his defense, as well as to receive his sentence for both positive drug tests.

Check out these related stories:

Fabricio Werdum Is Disappointed in Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva Takes to Instagram to Deny PED Use

Drug Tests, Anderson Silva, and Tempering Cynicism with Hope