Joe Rogan Says Vitor Belfort Tested Positive, Results Likely to Become Public at NSAC Hearing
For everyone that wants to know about the results of Vitor Belfort’s surprise drug test from early February, we’re all likely to find out what they are on June 17.
That is the day that Belfort must go before the Nevada State Athletic Commission for a comprehensive licensing review in order to gain licensure for his proposed July 5 bout with Chael Sonnen. If he is cleared, Belfort and Sonnen will meet as part of a stacked UFC 175 fight card.
“The test results will be made public, yes,” new NSAC executive director Bob Bennett told MMAWeekly.com content partner Yahoo! Sports.
“If Mr. Belfort appears at his hearing, which I’m sure he will, the commissioners will get to question him about any topics they want and I’m sure that will come up.”
The results have been withheld thus far because Belfort does not currently hold a license in Nevada. Since he does not hold a license, submitting to the test in February was voluntary, and subsequently the commission does not have the authority to release the results without Belfort’s permission.
Belfort has withheld permission because, according to his legal team, the results are “irrelevant.”
They are sure to become highly relevant on June 17 when Belfort is questioned about whether or not he should be licensed to fight in the state of Nevada. At that point, if he is questioned about the results, they will be admitted into public record, unless he declines to answer, which would most likely negate any chances of getting licensed.
While he has yet to publicly reveal the results, UFC broadcaster Joe Rogan has publicly commented that Belfort tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone, which led the Nevada commission to banning testosterone replacement therapy exemptions.
“(They gave Belfort a random drug test) and Vitor was on testosterone,” said Rogan on a recent edition of his podcast. “That was the reason that testosterone got banned (in Nevada) in the first place. The whole thing went down when Vitor tested positive with the Nevada State Athletic Commission… Because he tested positive, they scrapped the whole testosterone program.”
Rogan would certainly be a part of the inner circle that might become aware of Belfort’s test results, although they weren’t publicly released, but an official answer won’t come until Belfort goes before the Nevada commission on June 17.
Even if he did test positive for elevated levels of testosterone in early February, the commission is within its authority to grant him a license.
Belfort has already submitted his application and provided the requested medical information that the Nevada commission required of him, according to NSAC Chairman Francisco Aguilar. So whether or not he is granted a license will come down to what the commissioners ask of him on June 17 and how he answers.
