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When asked about Dennis Hallman's previous statements (which he took back b/c he caught a lot of heat), the specific question: "You certainly did not miss the steroid allegations surrounding Chael Sonnen that came under the spotlight these past few weeks. Dennis Hallman stated that at least 50% of MMA fighters take PEDs. Nate Diaz also said that everybody was on steroids, you should be surprised when somebody DOES NOT test positive rather than be surprised when someone DOES test positive. Is it safe to assume that a lot of MMA fighters take steroids to give themselves an edge?"
Kongo replied:
50%, if not more**... What can I say, other than we need to stay away from all of that. It's not easy to put things into perspective, especially if you believe that you have a disadvantage from the get go. For some athletes, it's hard to hold up physically and mentally- the pressure, the obligation to stay on top - everything pushes you to take steroids. For me, PEDs aren't the solution. Taking PEDs jeopardizes your health and it's cheating. I am a fighter; I owe my victories to my hard work, my training, the fact that I push myself beyond the limit, the sacrifices I make to a life almost entirely dedicated to sports. Nothing else. Stay away from the needles. You can succeed without them.
Then at the end of the post, the place posted this addendum:
**Note: Given the context, the question that was asked, the wording of the answer, and other elements, the statement "50%, if not more..." could be interpreted as "50% of MMA fighters take steroids/PEDs, if not more...", although this is NOT what was specifically stated by Cheick Kongo on the topic at hand. When reached for clarifications, Cheick Kongo's manager neither denied nor confirmed Cheick Kongo thinks that 50% of MMA Fighters if not more take steroids/PEDs. Lastly, this interview was conducted via email, not via phone or video.
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