Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, the champion of Strikeforce’s 145 pound women’s division has been suspended by the California State Athletic Commission after her drug test following her December 17 fight against Hiroko Yamanaka came back positive for stanozolol.
Stanozolol is a synthetic anabolic steroid that is very similar to testosterone.
According to Bloodyelbow.com, the suspension is retroactive to December 16, 2011 and her 16 second knockout win over Yamanaka will be changed to a no contest. Santos will also be fined $2,500 for the positive test.
Santos does have the right to appeal the suspension of her license. At this time it is unclear how long the suspension will be for.
Official California State Athletic Commision press release:
CALIFORNIA STATE ATHLETIC COMMISSION SUSPENDS LICENSE OF FIGHTER CRISTIANE JUSTINO SANTOS - a.k.a. CRIS CYBORG
Mixed Martial Arts fighter tested positive for anabolic steroid in December 16, 2011 test
The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) has suspended the license of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Cristiane Justino Santos, better known in MMA circles as Cris Cyborg, and has fined her $2,500 as the result of a positive test for a banned substance.
Santos' December 16, 2011 drug test came back positive for stanozolol metabolites. CSAC learned of the test results December 23, 2011 and suspended Santos's license, with the suspension applied retroactively to December 16, 2011. In accordance with Rule 368, the result of her last fight between Hiroko Yamanaka will be changed to a "No Decision".
"Our primary concern is for the health and safety of fighters," said CSAC Executive Officer George Dodd. "Anabolic agents and other banned substances put not only the users of those agents at risk, but their opponents as well. The commission simply will not tolerate their use."
The use of certain substances, including anabolic steroids, is prohibited under the Commission's regulations, and CSAC has among the toughest drug testing standards of any Athletic Commission in the country. It is the only commission that requires urine samples to be taken in the presence of a commission representative prior to a bout.
Santos's provision of a urine sample was observed by a CSAC representative and the sample was sent to the World Anti-doping Agency test facility at the University of California, Los Angeles. Santos has the right to appeal the suspension of her license.
This news is a huge blow to the Strikeforce women’s division as Santos was quickly becoming the most well known (active) female missed martial artist.
