Ramirez banned for 50 games

By Ronald Blum

Associated Press

NEW YORK —- Manny Ramirez joined a growing lineup of All-Stars linked to drugs Thursday, banished for 50 games.

The Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder was suspended by Major League Baseball, adding a further stamp to what will forever be known as the Steroids Era.

Ramirez said he did not take steroids and was given medication by a doctor that contained a banned substance. A person familiar with the details of the suspension said Ramirez used the female fertility drug HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin.

HCG is popular among steroid users because it can mitigate the side effects of ending a cycle of the drugs.

Ramirez's suspension was based not on a spring training urine test result but rather evidence obtained afterward, a second person familiar with the suspension said. MLB had concluded the spring test was positive, but the person said the players' association would have challenged the result because of "testing issues."

Ramirez became the most prominent baseball player to be penalized for drugs. His ban came three months after Alex Rodriguez admitted using steroids.

Ramirez told the Dodgers and fans he was sorry for "this whole situation."

"I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK," Ramirez said in a statement.

"Unfortunately, the medication was banned ... I do want to say one other thing; I've taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons."

Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, and the players' association had gathered materials for a possible appeal to an arbitrator, but Ramirez decided not to file one because he didn't want to risk missing significant time in the second half of the season, the person familiar with details of the suspension said. The union said Ramirez waived his right to contest the suspension.