The Nevada Athletic Commission voted today to suspend Wanderlei Silva for three years following an oft-delayed re-hearing on a lifetime ban he was given 17 months ago.
Silva was given the ban from the commission for allegedly fleeing his Las Vegas gym when an official arrived to collect a random urine sample for his proposed fight with Chael Sonnen. When his lifetime ban from the NAC was overturned by a Nevada judge nine months ago,it appeared Silva may be allowed to fight again, however, today’s ruling changed that.
Commissioner Pat Lundvall stated that in her opinion, Silva’s decision to allegedly escape out of a side door of his gym during the proposed test collection was, “some of the most egregious actions we’ve seen from an athlete.”
The three-year suspension will be retroactive to the date of his urinalysis evasion, which occurred on May 24, 2014; he won’t be eligible for reinstatement until May 25, 2017. If he is to apply for a new license at that point, he will have to supply a clean drug test.
There will likely be an appeal from Goodman to the Nevada Supreme Court.