The New York Time reported this afternoon that Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz were on the list of Major League Baseball players who tested positive for performance enhancing drugs in 2003. 104 players failed the drug test six years ago, but were not subject to discipline, as the results were supposed to have remained anonymous.
For some reason, the list was never destroyed, and there has been rampant speculation about the identification of the players on the list. Lawyers and others involved in the ongoing litigation spoke anonymously to the New York Times, because information about the case is under seal by court order.
Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Jason Grimsley, and David Segul have all been linked to positive results in the 2003 test. Ortiz has declined to comment when asked on Wednesday by a Times reporter. In the past, he has been outspoken about steroid use, stating that he thinks everyone should be tested multiple times per season, and that use of performance enhancing drugs should be grounds for a year suspension. However, he has previously stated that he didn’t know if he had inadvertently taken steroids or performance enhancing drugs in his youth.
Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz led the Boston Red Sox franchise to two World Series titles.
For more information, visit:
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2009/07/report_ortiz_ra.html
