MMA Junkie reports that despite admitting guilt for testing positive for banned substances, the Nevada Attorney General is still requesting that Chael Sonnen appear before the NSAC to answer for failing the drug tests.
The Nevada Deputy Attorney General advised Junkie that Sonnen must personally appear before the commission and testify under oath. “He [Sonnen] is expected to answer questions about the prohibited substances detected in his system as a result of the out-of-competition tests performed on May 24 and June 5,” stated Deputy AG Chris Eccles.
In response to the AG’s First Amended Complaint against Sonnen, his attorney (which is also his management company at MMA, Inc.) attempted to waive his right to a hearing and accept whatever discipline that the Commission “deems necessary and appropriate,” according to the letter response. The letter also requested that the Commission consider “mitigating” factors when determining his punishment.
However, the NSAC is requiring Sonnen appear to answer questions about the failed drug tests of May 24th and June 5th.
Payout Perspective:
A couple initial questions come to mind. First, has the AG exercised its subpoena powers under NAC 467.932? If it did, it had to have issued it in within 10 days of the hearing which would have been Monday since the 10th day before the 23rd was a Sunday. Assuming it has not issued a subpoena, the fact that the NSAC wants him to come to its hearing does not mean Sonnen has to show up. Second, if there is no subpoena, then what is the remedy? Does it fine Sonnen? Or does it just reschedule?
For Sonnen, the answer to the NSAC First Amended Complaint attempts to mitigate the potential discipline. The letter points out that Sonnen was terminated from the UFC, from his analyst job at Fox and he has lost all “endorsement relationships.” The request to take these things into consideration is to show how he has already been disciplined by others. The strategy is to avoid a hearing on the merits by admitting guilt. Thus, the argument by Sonnen’s reps is why discuss a matter he has already admitted. In Sonnen’s scenario, it avoids the potential embarrassment that may occur if he has to ask questions about his use of banned substances.
The only reason Sonnen supposedly ‘retired’ was to give this whole thing enough time to slowly go away, I thought it was a great move and he would eventually come back at the right time (Just like when he lay low and kept his mouth shut for a whole year after the first Silva fight).
Then when the results of the second tests were revealed he made another great move in admitting guilt. But i guess it was all for nothing since it looks like the Commission wants to publicly humiliate him regardless. Which i think is well deserved.