16 hours ago
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Ryan Braun Wins Appeal of his 50-Game Suspension
Wow. I wasn't expecting Ryan Braun to actually win his appeal of his 50-game suspension for alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs. In practice, it seems all but impossible to challenge such things. Hopefully, his reputation won't be sullied even with this victory, but alas I think (cynically) that the accusation itself will already have a massively detrimental effect that he'll feel for many years. I don't expect that details behind arbitrator Shyam Das's decision will come out any time soon, but I'm certainly interested in finding out about them.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
My take: Just because he won his appeal on what looks like a technicality doesn't mean he's not guilty of using performance enhancing drugs. It just means he got away with it.
Until I see something that suggests the technicality he escaped on would actually have caused the positive result (which was not even argued by his side, as I read it), in my mind his reputation is sullied and deservedly so.
Addendum to the above comment: What was proven in the appeal is that the procedure wasn't correctly followed and thus he shouldn't have to serve the 50 game suspension. I completely support that result, I just don't think the way in which it was done at all supports him not being guilty of actually using performance enhancing drugs.
I agree with that. We don't know if he really used something or not. He might well have used them but found a different loophole.
There are other messy things as well: It is my understanding that the failing of the test was leaked in the first place. Were this not leaked, then with winning the appeal, I believe the result of the test would not have been announced in the first place. Don't quote me on all of this, though I am more confident in the first of these statements than the second. And the reporters have been discussing MLB's 'vehemently disagree' comment, though my take on that specific part would just be wishing that MLB had been a bit more political. They wore their heart on their sleeve, and I can certainly understand that being their perspective.
In any event, I am giving the benefit of the doubt. Things seem to have been leaked and we only have partial information about what was argued in the appeal. If I were in that position, I would want the benefit of the doubt---therefore, I don't think it would be fair for me not to give it in turn.
This article has some summary of what are facts and what are others things. I'd really like to see a clear timeline---including what the Collective Bargaining Agreement says regarding when and how test results are to be made public.
Post a Comment