Brazilian TKD Olympian not impressed with Anderson Silva
On Anderson Silva’s Olympic ambitions. “Many people are taking this very seriously, but I don’t think this is more than a joke, some kind of personal marketing.”
Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva faces a year suspension for PEDs, but has voiced interest in trying out for the 2016 Brazilian Olympic Taekwondo team. As host country, Brazil is guaranteed four spots, with an other four possible depending on international standings. Silva earned a black belt in the Korean martial art when he was a teenager, before he ever tried MMA.
Silva recently took to Instagram with multiple videos of his training.”Guys I know that I am completely out of form, as I haven’t trained for many years,” wrote Silva. “But I am trying, and because of that I am working very hard to get the rhythm back and do my best, because if I don’t do this, I will never know if I really can make it. I will train very hard like I always did and try to get a spot in the Olympics . I am in another level, will need lots of work as the Olympic athletes are mainly super athletes, that are years ahead of everyone, but yes, I will leave my comfort zone and TRY!!! The worse that could happen is for me not to get a satisfactory result, but at least I will be sure that I tried!”
Guilherme Cezario Felix, who is expected to represent Brazil in the heavyweight class in which Silva would compete, was not impressed.
“Let’s stop kidding,” he wrote on Facebook, as translated by Lucas Rezende for BE. ” Myself and most of the tae kwon do athletes are fed up with this thing about Anderson Silva trying to apply for the Olympic Games. He can try just like anyone who is officiated by the regulations can. Many people are taking this very seriously, but I don’t think this is more than a joke, some kind of personal marketing. Everybody is putting it carefully, but I’m tired. I have nothing against him, I don’t even know him personally, but this is a laughing matter. If he really wants to apply for the spot, then let him come. It’s his risk and I think he’ll have to really prepare if he doesn’t want to embarrass himself. I’m looking forward to it. There won’t be any more jokes or games about it. There, I said it.”