Braun Wins Appeal of Suspension

On 10 December, 2011, it was reported that Ryan Braun tested positive for a high level of testosterone caused by a performance-enhancing drug. Braun denied the reports and appealed the fifty-game suspension that he was supposed to receive.

On 23 February, 2012, an MLB panel overturned the fifty-game suspension due to the urine sample not being sent on the same day but two days after. Due to the fine print of the rules, the reigning MVP award winner’s fifty game suspension was overturned, and he has since claimed his innocence.

The suspension was overturned because the urine sample was stored over the weekend in Dino Laurenzi’s office instead of being given to FedEx offices to be sent right away.

“There have been other occasions when I have had to store samples in my home for at least one day, all without incident,” Laurenzi said.

Due to a small clause in the MLB drug-testing rules, Ryan Braun was able to overturn the suspension. Ryan Braun claims that the samples were tampered during the layover time at Laurenzi’s office.

“I love watching Ryan Braun play.  He is one of my favorite players in the game. I was disappointed when I found out, but now that his suspension was overturned and he has denied any wrongdoing, I believe he is telling the truth and is truly innocent,” Micah Storms, a junior and baseball player at Fleetwood, said.

“I don’t really care if he did or didn’t use steroids, but I believe that he did use steroids,” junior Sam Cabrera said.

Ryan Braun will not only be able to keep his MVP award from last year, he will also not have to serve any time. Because of the rules being the way they are, no one will ever know if Ryan Braun actually took PEDs and violated the MLB’s drug testing rules.