On Monday Cris “Cyborg” Santos, along with her lawyer, attended a meeting with the California State Athletic Commission in Sacramento, Calif., in an effort to appeal a one year long suspension levied against her for the use of banned substances.

The CSAC voted to uphold the year-long suspension and fine which Santos had already paid previously. The suspension and fine were originally issued as the result of a failed post-fight drug test. Cyborg tested positive for stanozolol metabolites following her title defense in December 2011 against Hiroko Yamanaka at “Strikeforce: Melendez Vs. Masvidal.”

According to reports, Santos read a prepared statement to the commission:

“I made a mistake, I do not condone the use of performance enhancing drugs in MMA.”

Commissioner John Frierson showed appreciation for Cyborg’s admission and applauded the fact that Santos had come to the meeting and appeared before the commission. He said:

“At least she came before us and fell on the sword.”

In response to the admission by Santos commissioner Frierson introduced a motion to have the suspension reduced to six months, but the other commissioners did not agree and Cris Santos will still have to serve the full one year suspension.

Cyborg’s lawyer Bob Bartlett explained to the commission that the fighter had been given the substance by a coach to assist with weight loss prior to the fight. Unfortunately commissioner VanBuren Lemons felt that did not excuse the fact that a banned substance had been used and a motion to uphold the ruling was introduced. Lemons said:

“Intentionally or unintentionally, the opponent was put in undue danger at that match.”

Prior to this meeting with the commission Santos’ bout on December 17th was changed to a “no contest” by the CSAC and she was stripped of her Strikeforce title, her suspension ends in December 2012.

One thought on “Cris ‘Cyborg’ Santos is denied a reduced suspension by the CSAC”
  1. It is a shame that they didn’t give her a reduced sentence so we could have the controversy about her versus Rousey come to an end. I would love to see them fight for the title and would put my money on Cyborg to shut that mouth up.

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