Bill Mahood tests positive for steroids - UPDATED: Mahood retires!

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Bill Mahood has been fined and suspended due to a positive test result for the anabolic steroid Drostanolone stemming from his fight with Bobby Southworth at the Strikeforce at the Mansion event in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Bill Douglas, a CSAC representative, announced the result on Monday and stated that Mahood has been fined $2,500. His suspension period runs from the conclusion of the Sept. 29 bout through the end of his licensing year, which is Sept. 6, 2008. An additional 22 days of suspension were assessed for when he reapplies for licensure to fulfill a total of 365 days of suspension.

Mahood lost the fight with Southworth when he verbally submitted little more than a minute into the bout due to an apparent rib injury.

Drostanolone is a steroid that is most commonly used by athletes for weight cutting to help retain strength while losing mass.

Mahood is the second fighter from the Strikeforce at the Mansion event to fail a drug test. On Oct. 3, it was announced that Adam Smith, who lost to Dewey Cooper, tested positive for cocaine and marijuana.

Of the 24 fighters that competed on the Strikeforce event, test results have been reported for 18, including the two failures. Main event fighters Gilbert Melendez, Tatsuji Kato, Josh Thomson, and Adam Lynn all test clean.

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On Tuesday, Mahood released his own statement admitting to using the steroid and indicating that he would likely not fight again.

“I did in fact start the use of an anabolic agent approximately the third week in August,” he admitted. “This was at a time that I thought I was done fighting and was suffering from a chronic joint inflammation of my hip.”

He went on to say that he “did not want to miss the opportunity of fighting for a great promoter like Strikeforce” and immediately discontinued any use of the anabolic agent, believing that it would be out of his system prior to fight day.

“I do believe that there was no benefit from the amount ingested,” Mahood continued, but seemed repentant about the result. “I still tested positive and for that I would like to apologize to Strikeforce, Bodog Fight, and the sport of MMA in general.

“I will continue to work hard to further the sport of MMA as a promoter, trainer and manager, but it is unlikely I will continue to fight due to chronic recurring injuries.”

[20inch calves]

i don't really understand what the big deal is. who is not or has not been on something that is competing on a professional level...not many. i truely believe they ARE testing alot more NOW and thats why pride fighters are doing so poorly.


but at the top level these guys almost have to take something for the rehabilatative benefits