Kimo Explains Circumstances Surrounding Steroid Charges

A week after the California State Athletic Commission barred him from fighting on WFA: King of the Streets, Kimo Leopoldo has spoken out about the circumstances surrounding him testing positive for the banned steroid Stanozolol.

Kimo does not deny that he knowingly took the steroid but he claims it was as part of a properly prescribed course of medicine to help him recover from serious knee surgery.

Leopoldo injured his knee on 7th May 2005, when he fought Marcus Royster at Rumble on the Rock 7. Kimo managed to train around the injury but further aggravated it when he faced Ikuhisa Minowa at Pride: Bushido 8, where he was lost via leg-lock.

Kimo was forced to have surgery on the injured joint last year and underwent a full rehabilitation programme, which included taking the steroid in question. In the medical world Stanozolol (more commonly known as Winstrol) is used to help repair damaged tissue and joints. However, some athletes have been known to use this in conjunction with other drugs because of it’s known properties that increase lean muscle mass production. Stanzabol is the same drug that current UFC Heavyweight Champion, Tim Sylvia, tested positive for in 2003.

Kimo’s doctor has testified that his patient was on a prescribed course of Stanozolol for four months and would have finished it at the beginning of April 2006 (before he accepted the WFA fight with Rutten). However the drug would still be in his system for between three and six months after finishing the course.

Despite the doctor’s testimony, Kimo’s history of anabolic steroids abuse has come back to haunt him. Kimo tested positive for his 2004 rematch with Ken Shamrock, which resulted in him being suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Kimo feels that because his name has been blemished he is now being treated unfairly. He will face a California State Athletic Commission Tribunal on August 8th.