Milwaukee Brewers left fielder and reigning National League MVP Ryan Braun has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, according to ESPN.

A spokesman for Braun issued a statement, according to ESPN:

Braun's whole career will be tarnished by this.

Originally Posted by: DakotaT 

Braun didn't argue evidence of tampering and didn't dispute the science, but argued protocol had not been followed. Multiple sources confirmed to ESPN investigative reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and T.J. Quinn that Braun questioned the chain of custody and collection procedure.

MLB officials, however, argued that there was no question about the chain of custody or the integrity of the sample, and that Braun's representatives did not argue that the test itself was faulty.

According to one of the sources, the collector, after getting Braun's sample, was supposed to take the sample to a FedEx office for shipping.

But sources said the collector thought the FedEx office was closed because it was late on a Saturday and felt the sample wouldn't get shipped until Monday.

As has occurred in some other instances, the collector took the sample home and kept it in a cool place, in his basement at his residence in Wisconsin, according to multiple sources.

Policy states the sample is supposed to get to FedEx as soon as possible.

Braun's initial T/E ratio was more than 20:1. Sources previously confirmed synthetic testosterone in his system.

Sources said MLB is livid and is evaluating the possibility of suing in federal court to have Das' decision overturned, but that they did not expect a decision to be made until after Das issues his written report within the next week or so and MLB lawyers have a chance to review it. There are very limited grounds by which either party could sue, but sources said MLB officials believe Das' ruling was based on a faulty reading of the policy.

Braun's representatives are saying there was a difference in the ph balance of Braun's sample when it was taken at the time of the test and when it arrived at the lab in Montreal. A source said the director of the Montreal Olympic doping lab, Christiane Ayotte, testified during the hearing that it was not unusual for the balance to be different, as the equipment used in the field is not as sophisticated and accurate as the equipment in the lab. She also said she did not question the integrity of the sample and that it arrived with all seals intact.

Sources told Quinn and Fainaru-Wada the seals were totally intact and testing never reflected any degradation of the sample. Based on the World Anti-Doping Agency code, this is exactly what would have been expected to happen, and the collector took the proper action, the source said.

The source also noted that synthetic testosterone doesn't show up just because a sample sits in one place or another.

Travis Tygart, chief executive officer of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, called the decision "a real gut-kick to clean athletes."

I do not know all the details. I will say winning on a technicality  is not the same thing as being innocent.

Originally Posted by: wpr 

It's vastly different than being guilty. Do you know what happened to the sample, if anything? Didn't think so, so you have no room whatsoever to claim guilt. There's a chain of custody for a reason. I thought we had something that stated innocent UNTIL PROVEN guilty? No? Yes?

It will be interesting to see if Ryan Braun fails any more drug tests. If he does, all bets are off!

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 

wpr, I'm also interested in seeing his numbers this year. Very interested.

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 

What will be really interesting to see if what his power numbers look like this year. If they stay the same or increase it is an indicator that he was telling the truth. If they dropped significantly it will make people wonder.

Originally Posted by: wpr