Chael Sonnen has officially responded to the Nevada Athletic Commission’s amended complaint against him.
According to the complaint, which was first obtained by MMAJunkie.com, Sonnen faces a fine of up to $250,000, the suspension of his license, the requirement to provide a clean drug test should he apply for a license again and expenses related to the complaint after recently failing a second drug test for four banned substances.
On Tuesday, Sonnen’s lawyer Jeff Meyer submitted his client’s formal response to the NAC’s First Amended Complaint for Disciplinary Action. Below is the most relevant excerpt from the response:
“Mr. Sonnen does not dispute any of the factual allegations contained in the First Amended Complaint. Mr. Sonnen accepts responsibility for his actions and will comply with the Commission in the prompt resolution of this matter.”
Sonnen’s case will heard at the NAC’s July 23 hearing.
Sonnen, who recently announced his retirement from MMA, was asked to take a blood and urine test on June 5 in Portland, Ore., by the NAC because at the time he was scheduled to fight at UFC 175 on July 5 in Las Vegas. Sonnen failed those tests due to the presence of human growth hormone (HGH), recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO), which is typically used to boost red blood cells that carry oxygen to the muscles, increasing stamina and endurance, anastrozole, used to treat early stages of breast cancer, and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the female fertility drug that is often used in an effort to restart testosterone production.
It was announced on June 10 that Sonnen had failed the first drug test administered by the NAC on May 24 due to the presence of the banned substances anastrozole and clomiphene. The commission decided to subject both Sonnen and his opponent at the time Wanderlei Silva to random drug testing leading up to UFC 175. Following the news of his failed test, Sonnen was pulled from the event and subsequently announced his retirement from the sport effective immediately.
On June 17, the commission handed Sonnen a temporary suspension with the promise of a full verdict to come in the near future. However, that was before they were informed of the second drug test failure. Sonnen admitted to taking the substances, as well as HCG, stating he needed them to complete his transition off testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).
Last week, both the UFC and FOX terminated Sonnen’s broadcasting contracts as a result of the second drug test failure.