“IN RESPECT TO MY FANS”

The MMA world was in shock early last week when former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva tested positive in an “out-of-competition” drug test on January 9. He tested positive for drostanolone metabolites and androstane.

On Thursday, Silva spoke out to fans for the first time since that test. The following was posted on his official Instagram page.

Anderson Silva responds to fans for first time since positive drug test

IN RESPECT TO MY FANS I will not say anything about who I am or what I went through to get here. What matters to me now is the respect from those who have followed my career. I bled, struggled and fought because I love it and because I always wanted to honor the flag of the country I love so much. I don’t know what to apologize for, because I am still waiting for the results and analysis from the specialists that are working to reveal the truth. Everything that I took since my injury are being analyzed. I look for the truth as much as all those who were surprised with the results. I always played clean, I was never a cheater. In eighteen years of my career, I never had a problem with exams. In and out of the Octagon I never slipped in compliance with the principles that always guided me. With much honor and dignity I defended my country where ever I fought. I never used any substances to better my performance in my fights. I love what I do and I would never risk what I took so long to build. I think that the hurry some people have to condemn me is unfair. The time it takes to destroy a reputation is infinitely less than that is taken to build it. I am the one who is most eager to settle this situation. I want those who have always supported me to know that I am still fighting for all the sad happenings of this situation to be cleared.

A photo posted by Anderson Silva (@spiderandersonsilva) on Feb 19, 2015 at 10:56pm PST

Silva again failed both his pre and post-fight tests in Las Vegas on the night that his bout against Nick Diaz took place.