Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez will be suspended for fifty games by Major League Baseball (MLB) due to a positive test for banned drugs.Ramirez’ anticipated suspension comes after the Los Angeles Times broke the news this morning of his failed test. The outfielder- whose superb play has helped the Dodgers to a major-league leading 21-8 record- took responsibility while also claiming that he did not purposefully take illegal drugs:
"Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me," Ramirez said in a statement issued by the players' union.According to baseball columnist Tom Verducci, Ramirez did not test positive for steroids but for a so far publicly unknown substance that “was clearly defined as a banned performance enhancer according to the drug agreement between baseball and its players association.”
"Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now. I do want to say one other thing; I've taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons."
Ramirez will thus becomes the second high-profile MLB star this year to be linked to performance-enhancing drugs after New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez confessed in February to having used steroids.
Image- SI.com
Online Sources- ABC News, USA TODAY, SI.com, New York Daily News, Los Angeles Times
Why wouldn't his Doctor check before giving him these MLB NO NO drugs. To lose $8 million on such a stupid thing is incomprehensible.
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