I was willing to give him a pass then I read a quote from Ortega a few days ago from an interview he did. Now I'm not so sure.
Ortega in interview regarding getting popped for anabolic steroid:
"... Internet didn't help things. People were badmouthing me, telling me to go kill myself and stuff like that. It was bad. There are people who do a lot of really crazy drugs and bad things and I'm looked like the bad guy because if this?" .
At first in the interview I admired he came clean and admitted he used steroids, when so many other fighters blame it on one thing or another. Was refreshing to see him own up to his mistakes. As he continued ( in quote above) was talking about the hate on the net towards him and sounded bitter. Of course people were upset, he cheated in a professional sport that gave him an edge. T-City had been better to leave the fan bashing alone. Line that bugged me the most was the last, saying people do " crazy drugs and bad things and I'm looked like the bad guy". Yes he is , he's the professional athlete. Who says anybody is giving those other people a pass? This IS about what HE did. Hate blame shifting, just because someone may have done one thing worse than you doesn't make what you did any less offensive. It's the modern was if minimizing what you've done and not accepting blame.
Coming out and admitting his PED offence was a good start but his later statements take away from it IMO. Not truly accepting what he did was wrong since others have done worse.
In recent times this has become a technique used with politicians and big company execs when the screw up. Admit, then shift the issue to others that have done worse. PR companies use this as a standard now. To swing public perception when the offender has no real remorse for his actions.
Like Ortega's mma abilities, he finishes fights and looks to always be improving. Bottom line is he used PEDs. Is it better he was found out early in his UFC career? Only because fewer fans know about it. It would be a MUCH bigger story if it had of happened now. He cheated plain and simple.
Hope he stays clean and did learn from it. The man has talent. If it happens again people won't forgive him and he will forever be known as a cheat. If he remains on a straight path ,turns out to be the "good guy" that does raise money and visits sick kids hospitals, keeps his ego in check. The discretion will fade, people will forget and it won't harm his legacy.
Guess we wait and sed