Den brasilianske lättviktaren Gleison Tibau blev tidigare avstängd eftersom han misstänktes ha brutit mot UFC:s ny antidopningsregler. Det visade sig sedan att han testat positivt för EPO (erythropoietin).
Tibau hävdade att han är oskyldig och försökte få sitt straff sänkt, något som han nu väljer att sluta med eftersom kostnaderna i domstolen blir för höga. Hade det gått igenom hade han enbart fått straffet sänkt med 3-6 månader.
Det här berättade Tibau, via ”MMAJunkie”:
I’ll take the minimum punishment under the new rules, which is a two-year suspension. So I’ll take the two years.
I will talk to my medical staff in the next days to find out where we made a mistake, and will do what we can in my trial. I fight professionally for 16 years, nine being inside the UFC, and was never in this situation. It tastes bad, like a loss inside the cage, but will be a big lesson, as experience to become more alert as an athlete of what can or can’t be done in the sport’s anti-doping policy.
I believe the justice will punish if needed, but also clear me if proven.
It won’t do any good to spend all this money, to simply reduce the penalty by three to six months. It’s not worth it. The expense is too great to try to appeal this. So I think I’ll end it now.
It’s mentally draining, to be in court. I’ll just talk to my team and my manager and tell them I don’t want to appeal. So that’s it – two years – two years years without stepping into the cage. It’s hard for me. I’ve always loved to compete, to be active. Maybe it’s time for me to reinvent myself, learn new techniques, and come back better, stronger and more versatile.
Until the process came to an end, I had no plans. I think that the UFC and USADA had good intentions in setting up these tests and inspections. But two years is very long, indeed. I think one year was plenty. Maybe they didn’t think that fighters live from fighting, and only earn money when they fight. We have a contract with the UFC, but we have no salary. It’s tough.
I don’t know what I’ll do in the next two years, but the bills won’t stop coming. If I don’t fight, I have no money. Now, I really don’t know what to do, or where to go.
Tibau mötte senast Abel Trujillo under UFC Fight Night 77 i november förra året, då han segrade via submission i första ronden.
