CSAC to Barnett: Show at appeal or else…
On March 22, 2002 Josh Barnett defeated Randy Couture and became the UFC Heavyweight Champion. The title was stripped later than…
On March 22, 2002 Josh Barnett defeated Randy Couture and became the UFC Heavyweight Champion. The title was stripped later than year after he tested positive for the anabolic agents Boldenone metabolite, Fluoxymesterone metabolite and Nandrolone metabolite. On July 26, 2002 his fighting license was suspended for six months by the Nevada Athletic Commission, after a hearing where he denied ever having used steroids.
On July 21, 2009, a scheduled match-up against Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction: Trilogy, was officially pulled by the California State Athletic Commission, after Barnett tested positive for anabolic steroids. This was the first time that the CSAC held out of competition testing. On July 24, 2009 the event was cancelled, and Affliction Entertainment itself was cancelled.
Barnett declared his innocence and informed the commission of his intent to appeal the decision.
On Aug. 24 and Oct. 26 of 2009. Barnett and Attorney Michael DiMaggio postponed appeal dates when they said they didn’t receive requested case information on the license denial from the commission.
On Dec. 8, 2009 a third appeal date was rescheduled when the New York-based DiMaggio was unable to make a commission meeting due to bad weather on the East Coast.
On Feb 22, 2010 DiMaggio was not allowed to present his case at the now fourth appeal, as Barnett was not present. Barnett, who was wrestling Bob Sapp in Tokyo, Japan for the IGF promotionon on that date, said he did not realize he was required to be present.
Now Barnett has three days to add his name to the agenda for an upcoming meeting of the California State Athletic Commission and is unsure whether he wants to do so.
“I will talk to my legal team before I make any decisions,” he told MMAjunkie.com this past Friday. “I’ll let them help me make that decision.”
CSAC executive officer George Dodd recently told MMAjunkie.com that Barnett must contact his office by April 10 to have his appeal heard. If he does not, Dodd said, the absence will “not bode well for his career.”