Why was Alex Rodriguez banned from the MLB in 2014?
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Alex Rodriguez had one of the most illustrious careers in baseball ever since his draft in 1993. He was touted as one of the highest prospects and is considered among baseball greats. The shortstop and third baseman has played 22 seasons with top MLB teams such as the Seattle Mariners, the Texas Rangers, and the New York Yankees.
However, there was a dark phase in his career when he did something despised by all sporting fans worldwide. A-Rod was found guilty of using performance-enhancing drugs (PED), which shocked his MLB fan following. The Biogenesis scandal further revealed all the details which led to his suspension for the 2014 season.
Here is everything that led up to Alex Rodriguez’s ultimate suspension from MLB games in the 2014 season.
Related: All you need to know about controversial MLB legend Pete Rose
Alex Rodriguez was found guilty in the Biogenesis scandal
The use of PEDs in baseball has always been a subject of taboo, plaguing the sport of genuine competition and fairness. The infamous ‘Steroid Era’ ran from the 1994 to 2004 season, where several players admitted to using steroids to improve their game. Before this, the pre-1985 era was known as the ‘Pre-Steroids Era,’ where many players used amphetamines before games. One of the most notorious players infamous for his strong use of steroids was Jose Canseco. As sportswriter Thomas Boswell writes, Canseco was the most conspicuous user of steroids in the 1998 season.
In Alex Rodriguez’s case, allegations against him for doping came to light under the Biogenesis scandal. The Biogenesis of America is a clinic involved in weight loss and hormone therapy. It was reported that the clinic had ties with several baseball players, many of whom were their high-profile customers for the administration of PED. One of the big names was Alex Rodriguez, as links of him with the Biogenesis clinic started emerging.
While A-Rod constantly refuted such claims, he tested positive for the use of substances between 2001-2003. He kept refuting the claim until finally admitting to the use of PEDs. Alex Rodriguez, at the start of these allegations, did not face an outright ban. However, he did have to spend time on the sidelines for a long time.
Alex Rodriguez was finally issued a suspension from August 8, 2013, till the end of the 2014 season on counts of violation of MLB’s PED policy. This would mean that Alex Rodriguez would be missing the 211 regular season games and additional post-season games.
This ban was upheld even after Rodriguez filed a plea to the Federal Court. While the number of games suspended was reduced to 162, Rodriguez did miss out on the entirety of the 2014 season. He returned back with the Yankees and played from 2015-2016.
As of now, one of the high-profile names banned for using PEDs is Fernando Tatis Jr. Touted to be one of the best players for the Padres, Tatis Jr. accepted an 80-match suspension from MLB after testing positive for the use of PEDs. Admitting his mistake, Tatis Jr. apologized, saying, “There is no one else to blame but myself. I made a mistake,” he said.
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Siddid Dey Purkayastha
(528 Articles Published)