Ryan Braun suspension appealed!?!?

[Apes44 7]

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

So even though his test levels were a 20:1 ratio and because the guy thought fedex was closed and didnt ship the samle immediatly (sat overnight in a fridge) they ruled in Brauns favor.

[DolomaticDangles 13]

Braun has always been against steroids/performance enhancing drugs. The fact that his test showed the highest levels in MLB history shows that something was wrong. He immediately challenged the ruling, I could tell he was innocent from the beginning.

[troy 12]

Hm. I thought the levels were closer to 30:1, and not just the highest in MLB history, but some of the highest in drug testing history. From what I've read, beginning to a testosterone regimen around the end of the regular season would be the ideal time to evade testing. I think the preferred method would have been an oral spray. And Rafael Palmeiro was very against steroids, he even told Congress so! I think Braun used PEDs and had a very competent defense team.

[Apes44 7]

The thing that aggrevates me the most is, hes claiming this is proving his innocence...it doesnt,it proves he had as troy said a very competent legal team that found a loop hole to get him off! In my mind, him being innocent would be the test admin coming out and saying that he altered the sample or the sample was mixed up. Getting off on a loop hole doesnt mean innocent, just means you escaped the punishment!

[BenderHockey 127]

I guess the phrase "innocent until PROVEN guilty" doesn't mean anything in this country anymore.

[goblue9280 33]

I guess the phrase "innocent until PROVEN guilty" doesn't mean anything in this country anymore.

But he was found guilty. MLB and the players union had a mutually agreed upon drug testing system as part of their CBA. That drug testing system found Braun to be guilty of using synthetic testosterone. Braun then has the right to appeal the test results... during the appeal, he's guilty trying to prove he's either innocent, or that the drug testing system was compromised.

Lets be real, Braun won on a technicality. He didn't prove that the sample was tampered with. He didn't prove that the testing results were flawed. He didn't prove that anyone who handled the sample along the chain of custody would have motive to tamper with the sample. Occam's razor - the simplest answer is often the correct one.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

Lets be real, Braun won on a technicality. He didn't prove that the sample was tampered with. He didn't prove that the testing results were flawed. He didn't prove that anyone who handled the sample along the chain of custody would have motive to tamper with the sample. Occam's razor - the simplest answer is often the correct one.

QFT.

[wrangler 157]

I guess the phrase "innocent until PROVEN guilty" doesn't mean anything in this country anymore.

"Guilty" is a legal term applied to a convicted criminal defendant, and has no application in this process. People are allowed opinions, and the right to express them, and that's what's happening here.

Lester Munson's analysis is on point. Braun beat it on a technicality, though it appears that the sample integrity was not compromised, and that it was his. It seems he can claim innocence, and point to his offer of a DNA test, implying that the sample wasn't his. This may be hard to buy, without evidence indicating the possiblity of a mixup of samples.

[Axxion89 32]

The arbitrator saw enough to overturn the decision and it was the first time it ever happened. In my book, it doesn't prove him guilty but it doesn't prove him innocent. It just leaves a big fat question mark in the air over what really happened.

Also, just for thought, even though he got off on a technicality, it is still possible that something affected the test being positive however likely or unlikely it may be

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

It's the first time it happened because it was the first time it was questioned.

They are already saying that those who have been convicted in the past may try to reopen their cases due to this.

They exploited a loophole, plain and simple.

[MLSman 22]

They exploited a loophole, plain and simple.

+1. Welcome to the US justice system.

[Tikkanen 1]

You'll find out if Braun was using PED's real fast this season. One, he's gonna get tested a lot and he's going to get tested for HGH as well. Two, he lost Prince Fielder and doesn't have much protection in that lineup. And three, the public is going to be all over this guy if he struggles. He plays in a small market but he will be the biggest news in baseball wherever the Brewers go. I'm a Braun fan but I know a little bit about PED's from my 2 friends who are personal trainers and I'm the first person who think where there is smoke there is fire when it comes to athletes.