The California State Athletic Commission has suspended and fined Strikeforce women's featherweight champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos due to a failed drug test.
CSAC officials today announced the fighter tested positive for stanozolol metabolites following a Dec. 17 title defense at "Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal."
She's been suspended one year and fined $2,500, according to a release the CSAC emailed to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). Her win over Hiroko Yamanaka has been overturned to a no-contest.
MMAjunkie.com is in the process of getting comment from Strikeforce officials and Santos' representatives.
"Our primary concern is for the health and safety of fighters," CSAC Executive Officer George Dodd stated. "Anabolic agents and other banned substances put not only the users of those agents at risk, but their opponents as well. The commission simply will not tolerate their use."
Santos (10-1 MMA, 3-0 SF) picked up her 11th straight win (and fifth straight in Strikeforce) with the 16-second knockout of Yamanaka, which came at Valley View Casino Center in San Diego. The bout, which marked a third straight title defense, served as the night's Showtime-televised co-headliner and was Santos' first bout in Strikeforce in 18 months following a contract dispute. As Santos has torn through competition (with nine knockouts in 11 career wins), she's often been dogged by steroid speculation, though she never previously failed a test.
Santos, who's widely regarded as the sport's top female fighter, earned a disclosed payday of $66,000 for the Dec. 17 fight.
Santos's provision of a urine sample was observed by a CSAC representative on the night of the fight, and the sample was sent to the World Anti-Doping Agency test facility at UCLA. Santos has the right to appeal the suspension of her license.
Source: CSAC: Strikeforce champ Cris 'Cyborg' Santos tests positive for anabolic steroid
