By Guilherme Cruz
Photo Marcelo Alonso
A bad week for the Brazilian fighter Antônio “Bigfoot”. The EliteXC heavyweight champion, the giant of American Top Team was surprised with the news that the event had closed the doors after the last event, and that it’s out of MMA’s market. Trying to prove his innocence at the drug test allegation, the Brazilian had an audience with the Athletic Commission, with his manager, Alex Davis, and a lawyer – but the news were not good.
After leave the audience, Bigfoot got in touch with TATAME to annunciate the result. “There was no appellation. The suspension stays. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. The Commission showed that doesn’t like MMA fighter, mainly Brazilian. Shean Sherk took nandrolone, it was proved, but they reduced his punishment, but with me they didn’t leave”, lamented the fighter. Revolted with the result, his manager insists on the innocence of the fighter.
“The commission didn’t prove Bigfoot`s fault, there are doubts, but anything proved, and then the facts pass to be unimportant, and the opinion of six or seven commissionaires, who doesn’t understand anything about chemistry, predominate. The Commission, although have not proved the facts, continue to keep the suspension”, protest Alex, who will study other solution to the athlete: ”we’ll sit down and see what we can do”. In the final decision of the Commission, Bigfoot keep impeded of fight in United States until July 26th of 2009. Stay tuned on TATAME for more news about the case.