Braun Right to Be Cleared

When it comes to baseball and steroids I have been of the attitude that it is what it is and it was what it was.  The game was dirty a decade ago and now, for the most part, it is clean.  We have had several years of players putting up great numbers without the cloud of steroids hanging over them.  Then Ryan Braun, MVP of the National League, tested positive for performance enhancing drugs at the end of the season and was suspended for 50 games.  Over the last day we have found that Braun's suspension has been lifted and his positive test has been thrown out.

When Braun was initially suspended it was due to to much testosterone showing up in his urine test.  It was the first test he had failed in his 7 year career.  As soon as the story was leaked to ESPN Braun went on the offensive.  He claimed that he had never taken anything that could have sparked a positive test.  His denial of wrong doing had little impact on the shelling he took from reporters, analyst, and fans.  MLB's testing had a reputation of never being wrong so it was simple to call Braun a liar.  Then today we found out how hew was able to save the first third of his season, his reputation, and possibly his career.

MLB's drug testing is the best of any professional sports league.  They are able to test for all drugs and they manage to stay on top of the newer hard to detect drugs.  However, in this case none of that matters.  Braun's urine sample was mishandled for the better part of 2 days.  His sample was given to a handler that then took it to a personal residence instead of immediately to a FedEx store.  That information alone should have resulted in a retest, but MLB ran their test and cast Braun as a cheater instead.

The process that MLB uses to test its' players was flawed in this case and MLB has no one to blame but themselves for their embarrassment.  Braun was right to appeal the suspension and the validity of the the test.  The urine sample spent 2 days unsupervised in the home of guy who had specific instructions to drop it off at the closest FedEx store and instead passed 12 location on his way back to his place.  That sounds weird to me and it definitely calls into question whether the sample was tampered with or not.  Why else would someone kidnap urine for 2 days?

I don't care if the sample was tampered with or not.  MLB never should have suspended Braun once they found that the sample taken had been mishandled for 2 days.  Their test's reputation is on the line every time they are administered and an event like this can kill its reputation.  This wasn't a "technicality".  A sample must be handled properly during all phases of the the testing process and if it isn't then it should be redone.  MLB can try and fight this all they want, but in the end it is their fault that they look foolish.  Braun was cleared for the right reasons and now it is up to him to make sure that the rest of his test are clean, like all the others he has taken.