Anderson Silva’s Coach Says Anti-Doping Violation Due to Tainted Supplement

Anderson Silva’s coach says that the fighter is innocent of his U.S. Anti-Doping Agency violation, claiming it was the result of a tainted supplement. Strength and conditioning coach Rogerio Camoes said on Brazilian show Revista Combate (per MMAjunkie, “I’ve been with Anderson for many years, and when we talked the first thing he told me was, ‘Master, I didn’t take anything.’”

Camoes added, “I believe and trust his word. Anderson is a very mature guy, very experienced. And he’s aware that – he wouldn’t use something and risk getting suspended and getting his image tarnished. So we believe in contamination of some product or supplement. All the products that he used will be analyzed, so we can possibly prove there was contamination. The process is slow. It’s not overnight. It requires time and investment. It’s very expensive.”

In response to people blaming him for Silva’s failed test, Camoes said, “I believe that people who’ve known me for a while and follow my work know that I’d be the last person to do this. First, because I know anabolic steroids from A to Z. I’m a bodybuilder. The first doping (test) I did in my life was in 1987 at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center. I was on the judo team competing internationally. I was tested for 10 years of my life. So I know it from A to Z. I’d be the last person to tell someone to take something and get caught. Unless I was crazy, I’d be the last person to encourage Anderson to do something like that. On the contrary, I’m the one who’s the most concerned about that.”

Camoes added that Silva will continue fighting, even though a suspension is likely on the way. “I think in life, when something is taken from you, you start wanting and valuing it more,” he said. “He’s always saying, ‘I want to fight.’ The thing he wants the most is to fight. So I think he will go back to fighting. I find it unlikely that he won’t fight again. Before this happened, I remember talking to (Luiz) Dorea (boxing coach) and I said, ‘This guy still fights for another three, four years. This is a man who’ll fight until he’s 45, 46.’ He was like a kid – so happy. I think everything will be clarified. Of course, there will be a penalty. There’s no way there won’t be. We know USADA’s rules with doping. Even if it’s contamination, the fighter is responsible for what he takes. He needs to be careful with that.”