ELITEXC’S JEREMY LAPPEN COMMENTS ON CSAC RULING TO SUSPEND ANTONIO SILVA

Posted on | August 24, 2008 | No Comments

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 21, 2008) – The California State Athletic Commission announced Thursday morning it had suspended Antonio Silva for 12 months and fined him $2,500 for testing positive for the banned anabolic substance Boldenone after a fight on July 26 in Stockton.

Shortly thereafter, Silva’s co-manager Alex Davis issued a statement claiming not only that his fighter was clean but that he had no idea how Silva could have tested positive.

Here is what Jeremy Lappen, Head of EliteXC Fight Operations, had to say in response to Thursday’s events:

“We respect the California commission and the job they do. We always enjoy working with them and work very well together. The illegal use of steroids is a problem in all major sports, including mixed martial arts. We certainly do not condone the use of steroids.

“But we also support, trust and have confidence in our fighter, Antonio Silva, who has denied ever taken any illegal substance, including steroids, and is prepared to challenge the results of the California Commission.

“So until all the facts are known and a final decision is rendered, EliteXC will reserve making any further comments at this time.’’

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ProElite Inc. [PELE.PK] delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment via the Internet. ProElite embraces MMA with the highest levels of honor, integrity, discipline and self-esteem all the while remaining inclusive for fighters, fans and schools. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters [elitexc.com]. ProElite’s interactive business, ProElite.com, capitalizes on the growing popularity of the sport of mixed martial arts by building a community of MMA enthusiasts. In addition to streaming the most exciting live fights to the web, ProElite expands the fan base of the sport by providing a comprehensive set of online social networking tools for fans, fighters and organizations. ProElite.com – Empowering the Fight Community TM