Alexander Shlemenko Wins Appeal, Drug Suspension to be Lifted

[DoMeFavors]

The former Bellator middleweight champion had his three-year suspension and $10,000 fine from the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) reduced in a court decision Wednesday, per court documents. Shlemenko tested positive for steroids in February 2015 and was levied the sanctions by a unanimous commission vote in June 2015.

The California Superior Court ruled that CSAC was only able to suspend Shlemenko until his license expired back on Feb. 28.. Shlemenko will also have to pay only a $5,000 fine. The Russian fighter's suspension will be lifted as soon as he pays the fine. Shlemenko is still under contract with Bellator, per promotion spokesperson Danny Brener.

Shlemenko's attorney Howard Jacobs argued that Shlemenko was unfairly given a three-year suspension when the initial letter of notification sent to him by CSAC read that he only faced a one-year suspension. The court agreed that CSAC was not legally able to increase the length of the sanction after the appeal process.

Shlemenko, 32, was initially fined $10,000, half due to him making alleged false statements on drug-testing documents. Jacobs argued that the commission rules state that fines can only be doled out if an athlete makes false statements on a license application. The court agreed with that as well and took $5,000 off the original fine.

http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/7/2...ac-suspension-to-be-lifted-after-court-ruling

 

[LORDTENSAIMMA]

Rematch with tito

 

[Cousin Oliver]

Shelemnko's 3 year suspension was reduced to 1 year, which has already been served. He is free to fight in the U.S. again as soon as he pays his fine, which was reduced from $10k to $5k.

http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/7/2...ac-suspension-to-be-lifted-after-court-ruling

 

[Fullmount Triangle]

Good. 3 years was fucking insane.

 

[leto1776]

Too bad he signed with M1. Probably won't see him stateside again for a long time, if ever.

 

[chunglii]

The California Superior Court ruled that CSAC was only able to suspend Shlemenko until his license expired back on Feb. 28.

good for him getting it struck down.

 

[greenskye23]

He would be such a damn killer if he dropped to ww

 

[neomage2021]

meh 3 years was fine. Dude was juiced to the gills

 

[Meathead Jock]

Sucks that they reduced it AFTER he signed with M1.

Id love to see him cut to 170 and join that sharktank.

 

[Cousin Oliver]

Shlemenko is still under contract with Bellator. They never released him, probably anticipating this court ruling.

 

[TheBrownRanger]

FUCK YEAH!

Shlemenko vs Carvalho next!

 

[DoMeFavors]

My thread has been besmirched...


http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/a...spension-to-be-lifted.3297127/#post-119224853

 

[HendricksPunch]

3 years doesn't seem that long looking back at it.

I'm talking post-USADA of course.

 

[Devilboy86]

Finally some good news for Bellator... they should get him back in there ASAP...

Shlemenko VS Grove or Salter winner gets Carvalho

 

[The Reed]

Finally, Bellator can once again have a middleweight champion I'm excited to watch. Can't help but feel robbed of the potential Shlemenko-Shilling MMA fight though.

 

[synyster]

sweet would love to see shlemenko back stateside

 

[wartor]

Some good sanity there. You should never be banned longer than any commission licenses you. These multi year suspensions are a joke and borderline slavery.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

3 years doesn't seem that long looking back at it.

I'm talking post-USADA of course.

Yeah but at the time suspensions were like a year so being three times more than normal was pretty fucked up.

 

[neandertal]

Might this be a precedent ("-ish")... bad if that is the case.

 

[Project 86]

He would be such a damn killer if he dropped to ww

i have no clue why he hasn't done so yet he is such a small middleweight