UFC star Anderson Silva turns his sights toward Olympics

In the midst of a suspension for two failed drug tests, former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is considering a career change.

The MMA star wants to compete in tae kwon do at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

“Everyone knows that for a high-performance athlete, the Olympic Games are the dream of every athlete and so it would be no different with me,” he wrote in a letter that appears on the website for Brazil’s tae kwon do federation.

Silva -- known as “the Spider” -- has a background of extensive tae kwon do training. The Nevada Athletic Commission placed him under temporary suspension for failing drug tests before and after a fight with Nick Diaz in January.

Carlos Fernandes, president of the Brazilian Confederation of Taekwondo, said he will meet with Silva this week “for a joint assessment of this magnificent opportunity.”