Ryan Braun wins appeal of suspension

[23536]

NEW YORK -- National League MVP Ryan Braun's 50-game suspension was overturned Thursday by baseball arbitrator Shyam Das, the first time a baseball player successfully challenged a drug-related penalty in a grievance.

The decision was announced Thursday by the Major League Baseball Players Association, one day before the 28-year-old outfielder was due to report to spring training with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Braun tested positive in October for elevated testosterone, and ESPN revealed the positive test in December.

No reasoning was given for Thursday's decision.

"Today the arbitration panel announced its decision, by a 2-1 vote, to sustain Ryan Braun's grievance challenging his 50-game suspension by the commissioner's office," a statement from the players' association said.

MLB executive vice president Rob Manfred and union head Michael Weiner are part of the arbitration panel, and management and the union almost always split their votes, leaving Das, the independent panel member, to make the decision.

Manfred said management disagreed with the decision by Das. It is the first time a drug suspension has been overturned in a grievance, baseball officials said.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7608360/ryan-braun-wins-appeal-50-game-suspension

 

[slimvictor]

Wow, that is amazing.
I am still waiting for real information about why he won the appeal, though.

 

[23536]

I think there was a problem with the chain of custody, and the suspicion is that somebody added testosterone to his specimen. His detected level was more than twice that of any drug test ever conducted by major league baseball!

 

[slimvictor]

So, the collector took Braun's urine home with him overnight before giving it to the right people the next day.
Braun's test from a few days beforehand showed normal levels of testosterone.
Hard to think that he really was cheating.
I hope, for his sake, he wasn't.

 

[23536]

According to Will Carroll (steroid testing expert), Braun's defense team was able to replicate the test results with adulterated piss. I believe this guy was framed, even though everyone else seems to be labeling him a cheater.