Mir says be careful about ending someone's career over steroids

The performance enhancing drugs issue has ignited a great debate this week. The California State Athletic Commission suspended Chael Sonnen for a year after a pair of test indicated that his UFC 117 prefight urine sample came back with unusually high levels of testosterone. Is a year, a $2,500 fine and the loss of 2-3 fights enough? Some like, Josh Gross of SI.com, say no. He'd like to see UFC adopt a zero tolerance policy. Fighters like Frank Mir aren't so sure that's the way to go.

"I think everything has to be a case by case situation. This is why we have laws in our civilian life. They're not cut and dry," Mir told WJFK's Chad Dukes on the Lavar Arrington Show in Washington, D.C.

Mir asked what happens if a doctor prescribed something?

"If (the fighter's) like 'yeah, I had an injury and my competitive nature got a hold of me and I went to the doctor.' If it was a situation where (he) was facing not fighting and (his) competitive nature got a hold of (him), I don't know if that would justify ending someone's career."

Mir said it might be different if the fighter in violation of drug testing rules had malicious intent.

"If the same guy says 'yeah, I took this so I could smash skulls and I'm nuts.' That guy's in a different category," said Mir.

There are plenty of people who agree with Gross. One of them is not UFC president Dana White, who told Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole that he thinks the states' penalities are pretty severe right now. Watch Kalib Run thinks that White is wrong for softening his stance on steroids over the years. He links back to a 2004 quote that White gave Iole around the time that Kimo Leopoldo tested positive when he said the UFC wanted no part of guys who used steroids.

Larry Pepe, the interviewer who pulled the infamous Lance Armstrong quote from Sonnen, defends Sonnen. Pepe says it makes no sense that Sonnen would try to cheat and then right before the fight that he took illegal substances. Pepe believes there's a strong possibility he was prescribed medication for a legitimate medical issue. Pepe urges critics to let Sonnen have his day in court with the CSAC before condemning him.