Home
Politics
Major League Baseball rules mandate only a fine and medical review for Ponson as a first-time doping offender.
Ponson, out with a strained right elbow, is 1-5 with a 7.27 earned-run average for the Royals after helping the underdog Dutch oust the powerful Dominican Republic in the opening round of the global baseball tournament.
The federation announced the ban and results of doping tests administered during last March's global baseball championship, in which Japan defended the crown by defeating arch-rival South Korea in the final.
Ponson's agent, Barry Praver, said the Aruba-born pitcher was given a physician-prescribed appetite suppression medication for weight loss and disclosed he was using it when tested.
"He certainly was not seeking to enhance his performance," Praver said.
Ponson went 8-5 last season for the New York Yankees and Texas and is 91-111 all-time with a 5.00 earned-run average for Baltimore, San Francisco, St. Louis, Minnesota, Texas, the Yankees and Kansas City.
Puerto Rico catcher Geovany Soto, who plays for the Chicago Cubs, was revealed as having tested positive for marijuana during the Classic.
"I feel embarrassed," Soto said. "I'm man enough to do stuff. I'm man enough to face it. I just want to apologize to the Cubs organization, my family and the fans.
"I want to put this behind me. I don't want this to be a distraction for me or my teammates. I'd appreciate if this is the last time we talk about it. It's embarrassing and I want to move forward."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ponson, out with a strained right elbow, is 1-5 with a 7.27 earned-run average for the Royals after helping the underdog Dutch oust the powerful Dominican Republic in the opening round of the global baseball tournament.
The federation announced the ban and results of doping tests administered during last March's global baseball championship, in which Japan defended the crown by defeating arch-rival South Korea in the final.
Ponson's agent, Barry Praver, said the Aruba-born pitcher was given a physician-prescribed appetite suppression medication for weight loss and disclosed he was using it when tested.
"He certainly was not seeking to enhance his performance," Praver said.
Ponson went 8-5 last season for the New York Yankees and Texas and is 91-111 all-time with a 5.00 earned-run average for Baltimore, San Francisco, St. Louis, Minnesota, Texas, the Yankees and Kansas City.
Puerto Rico catcher Geovany Soto, who plays for the Chicago Cubs, was revealed as having tested positive for marijuana during the Classic.
"I feel embarrassed," Soto said. "I'm man enough to do stuff. I'm man enough to face it. I just want to apologize to the Cubs organization, my family and the fans.
"I want to put this behind me. I don't want this to be a distraction for me or my teammates. I'd appreciate if this is the last time we talk about it. It's embarrassing and I want to move forward."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
