Ryan Braun's Suspension ... OVERRULED!
Here's a blog link about Braun's successful appeal from CBS Sports Dot Com.
For the link-phobic, this is the blog text in full:
Braun wins appeal, won't be suspended
Posted on: February 23, 2012 5:12 pm
By Matt Snyder
Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun has won his appeal and will not serve a suspension for a positive drug test late last season, CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman has confirmed. The news was first reported by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. This means arbitrator Shyam Das ruled Braun's test was a false positive or an erroneous test of some sort.
The appeal was held in front of Major League Baseball, the MLB Players Association and Das, a third-party arbitrator.
Major League Baseball, for one, is not happy. Here's the statement released by MLB executive vice president for labor relations Rob Manfred:
“Major League Baseball considers the obligations of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program essential to the integrity of our game, our Clubs and all of the players who take the field. It has always been Major League Baseball’s position that no matter who tests positive, we will exhaust all avenues in pursuit of the appropriate discipline. We have been true to that position in every instance, because baseball fans deserve nothing less.
“As a part of our drug testing program, the Commissioner’s Office and the Players Association agreed to a neutral third party review for instances that are under dispute. While we have always respected that process, Major League Baseball vehemently disagrees with the decision rendered today by arbitrator Shyam Das.”
Braun has maintained his innocence since word of his positive test leaked after the Winter Meetings. Sources told CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler that when Braun found out he had tested positive for a banned substance he requested a second test, which came up negative. Braun then appealed the first failed test, and the results were supposed to stay confidential, but an ESPN report outed Braun's test on December 10 and the story has been lingering since then.
Braun, 28, won the NL MVP in 2011 when he hit .332/.397/.597 with 33 homers, 111 RBI and 109 runs for the NL Central-winning Brewers. He will join his teammates in Brewers camp Friday, as scheduled.
If the MLB's proof isn't 'truthy' enough, then Bud Selig has a maaaaajor shitstorm on his hands. I personally believe the guys seen as likely users in the "'Roid Era" are still very guilty of PEDs, but how many future players will try to claim innocence? Does the MLB need to reorganize its testing procedures?
For the link-phobic, this is the blog text in full:
Braun wins appeal, won't be suspended
Posted on: February 23, 2012 5:12 pm
By Matt Snyder
Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun has won his appeal and will not serve a suspension for a positive drug test late last season, CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman has confirmed. The news was first reported by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. This means arbitrator Shyam Das ruled Braun's test was a false positive or an erroneous test of some sort.
The appeal was held in front of Major League Baseball, the MLB Players Association and Das, a third-party arbitrator.
Major League Baseball, for one, is not happy. Here's the statement released by MLB executive vice president for labor relations Rob Manfred:
“Major League Baseball considers the obligations of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program essential to the integrity of our game, our Clubs and all of the players who take the field. It has always been Major League Baseball’s position that no matter who tests positive, we will exhaust all avenues in pursuit of the appropriate discipline. We have been true to that position in every instance, because baseball fans deserve nothing less.
“As a part of our drug testing program, the Commissioner’s Office and the Players Association agreed to a neutral third party review for instances that are under dispute. While we have always respected that process, Major League Baseball vehemently disagrees with the decision rendered today by arbitrator Shyam Das.”
Braun has maintained his innocence since word of his positive test leaked after the Winter Meetings. Sources told CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler that when Braun found out he had tested positive for a banned substance he requested a second test, which came up negative. Braun then appealed the first failed test, and the results were supposed to stay confidential, but an ESPN report outed Braun's test on December 10 and the story has been lingering since then.
Braun, 28, won the NL MVP in 2011 when he hit .332/.397/.597 with 33 homers, 111 RBI and 109 runs for the NL Central-winning Brewers. He will join his teammates in Brewers camp Friday, as scheduled.
If the MLB's proof isn't 'truthy' enough, then Bud Selig has a maaaaajor shitstorm on his hands. I personally believe the guys seen as likely users in the "'Roid Era" are still very guilty of PEDs, but how many future players will try to claim innocence? Does the MLB need to reorganize its testing procedures?