Jim Hughes, of Royce Gracie Brazilian Jiu-jitsu CT & MA, Releases Opinion on Steroid Controversy, Stating, "Royce Does Not Use Steroids"

West Hartford, CT, June 17, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Regarding the recent Royce Gracie steroid controversy, Jim Hughes, Gracie representative in New England with locations in Hartford, Glastonbury, Boston, UCONN/Storrs, Norwich, New Haven, Southington, Agawam/Springfield and Danbury reports “Royce does not use steroids or any illegal substances.” Furthermore, He claims, “Over the last 12 years I am hands down the person who has traveled the most with Royce Gracie, training from place to place and doing, as best I can, what he does on a day to day basis. Recently I've been showing up for his conditioning training and his fight training. James Strom, Royce's conditioning coach, Patrick Fowler, his Doctor, and Royce's family may spend more time with him. I don't know. But what I do know is that Royce is the most critical decision maker about what he puts in his body that I personally know. Throughout all the time that I have spent with him, he has never once left the path of the Gracie Diet. And believe me, with me hanging around; Royce has had many opportunities to fall off the wagon. While Royce will use protein powder, he has always checked the ingredients of anything he has used at my house and anywhere we have been. He once read the label of a package of turkey lunch meat I bought at the gas station while we were on the road in the middle of nowhere. I tried to tell him that the main ingredient in turkey is in fact, turkey. But he had to see for himself. He once declined my sports drink offer because it had some pseudo something in it. I have never seen or heard of Royce using any steroids. I don't care if the Athletic Commission says they tested and found trace amounts of nandrolone in his urine. Royce does not care about some slight advantage that a steroid might offer.”

Perry Siegel, Connecticut based Certified Athletic Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Specialist, has also worked with Royce Gracie and Mr. Gracie's trainer James Strom. He claims “there is very good research which concludes that 'there is strong evidence to show that NA can appear in urine of people who are free of exogenous nandrolone' this is from the British Journal of Sports Medicine 2002; 36; 325-329 Check out: bjsm.bmj dot com/cgi/reprint/36/5/325.pdf.”

NA occurs naturally for a variety of reasons. It can be elevated with high levels of exercise. Mr. Hughes states, “I can tell you from experience, Royce is impossible to keep up with. He has an amazing trainer in James Strom. And his physical activity alone is likely the reason for the slight NA elevation.”

It is unfortunate because this type of thing makes Royce appear guilty when really; he should be innocent until proven guilty. A test that shows strong evidence of false positives is just not enough to prove someone at fault, especially when the entirety of their character and long standing history consistently demonstrates they live an absolutely clean lifestyle.

###