In history-making news, Ryan Braun became the first player in Major League Baseball history to win an appeal of a drug suspension Thursday afternoon. Tom Haudricourt reported in his blog on the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that the reigning National League Most Valuable Player won his appeal and was exonerated of the looming 50-game suspension he would have had to serve had he lost the appeal. It was a 2-1 vote by a three-man panel and the word is that the appeal swayed Braun's way because of a technicality in the testing process and not the actual result of the test.
This news impacts a lot of things. First of all, in my opinion, this does not hinder Braun's career at all whatsoever. From here on out he shouldn't be looked at as a "cheater" unlike other proven drug and steroid abusers that have played the game. Secondly, this is historic. Before Braun, no player had ever won a drug or steroid appeal and always was forced to serve his suspension. Now going forward, does this provide loopholes for testing? Who knows. Personally I don't think the testing results should have ever been released in the first place. But that is now in the past as well as the allegations and thoughts that he would be serving a 50-game suspension.
And y'know, helps out his team a lot, too.
No comments:
Post a Comment