Paperwork, Not Hepatitis, Kept Aleksander Emelianenko Out
Posted by Kris Karkoski on Aug 1, 2008 at 10:00 am ET 25 Comments
It seems the always temperamental California State Athletic Commission has struck yet again. While it was widely speculated that a case of Hepatitis kept Aleksander Emelianenko out of his scheduled bout at Affliction “Banned”, it now appears that it was merely a matter of paperwork:
“I passed the medical board and my license to fight was obtained without any problems. But the fact is that in California the commission is very rigid for admittance. One of the main conditions to let you fight is the ability to pass all of your tests on time. I had to be in America by July 13, the Visa was only good until the fourteenth and my tickets were purchased in advance for the fifteenth.
On the whole, I was late. They thought the organizers could agree and settle the problem but they quickly found out they would not be able to get me on the card. Instead they were able to find a suitable replacement for Paul Buentello. The laws in California are so rigid.”
