• UFC

Sonnen appeal date reportedly set for December 2

ESPN staff
October 5, 2010
Chael Sonnen is currently suspended from MMA until September 2011 © UFC
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Chael Sonnen will have an official appeal against his drugs ban heard by the California State Athletic Commission on December 2.

Sonnen is facing a one-year suspension from MMA after he tested positive for steroids following his outstanding performance in defeat to Anderson Silva at UFC 117. The middleweight had earned himself an instant rematch for Silva's title, but that bout has now been handed to Vitor Belfort.

MMAJunkie claims CSAC executive director George Dodd confirmed the date of the hearing, which comes amidst claims that Sonnen warned that he may test positive before the test was conducted. UFC president Dana White has also stated that 'there is a lot more to come' in the story.

Meanwhile, Wanderlei Silva has sprung to the defence of Sonnen, with whom he has previously had crossed words, claiming a one-year ban is too harsh a punishment.

"That's tough you know, I think a year is too much time," he told MMA Canada.net. "Like Dana says, the guys are taking his job away for a year and that's terrible because this guy has a family, this guy needs the work.

"I think six months is OK, a year is too much time. For sure this is wrong, you can't take the job from a guy for a year. That's bad."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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