Konopka suspended 20 games for PED use

[CarltonTheBear]

Yahoo Sports NHL ‏@YahooSportsNHL  3m
NHL: "Buffalo Sabres' Zenon Konopka suspended 20 games for violating terms of NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program

 

[Kin]

So, roughly, the same suspension he'd have got if he'd actually murdered another player on the ice.

You just keep doing you, NHL.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Define "enhancing."

 

[CarltonTheBear]

His statement from the NHLPA:

"I deeply regret that I have tested positive for a prohibited substance in violation of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. I accept full responsibility for this error. As a professional athlete I am responsible for what I put in my body, and I am to blame for this mistake.

I want to make it clear that this violation occurred because I ingested a product that can be purchased over-the-counter and which, unknown to me, contained a substance that violated the program. Unfortunately, I did not take the necessary care to ensure that the product did not contain a prohibited substance. I want to stress, however, that I did not take this substance for the purpose of enhancing my athletic performance.

I apologize to my teammates and to the Buffalo Sabres organization, as well as to my friends and family. I have learned a great deal from this experience, something I hope to be able to share with younger players. I will accept this suspension and continue to work hard to prepare for the 2014-15 season."

 

[bustaheims]

Define "enhancing."

They gave his fists that little extra touch of fury?

 

[Bates]

Does it not seem a little weird that a Professional athlete is not permitted to take an over the counter drug that is perfectly legal to take?  Does anyone care about these drugs?

 

[Champ Kind]

Define "enhancing."

Quite possibly my favorite post of 2014

 

[Kin]

Does it not seem a little weird that a Professional athlete is not permitted to take an over the counter drug that is perfectly legal to take?  Does anyone care about these drugs?

I don't find it any weirder than the general hypocrisy surrounding PEDs in sports that looks at the transplantation of a dead person's ligament into a live person's arm as being alright but steroids as being some sort of horrible interjection of modern medicine into the purity of athletic competition.

 

[Champ Kind]

His statement from the NHLPA:

"I deeply regret that I have tested positive for a prohibited substance in violation of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. I accept full responsibility for this error. As a professional athlete I am responsible for what I put in my body, and I am to blame for this mistake.

I want to make it clear that this violation occurred because I ingested a product that can be purchased over-the-counter and which, unknown to me, contained a substance that violated the program. Unfortunately, I did not take the necessary care to ensure that the product did not contain a prohibited substance. I want to stress, however, that I did not take this substance for the purpose of enhancing my athletic performance.

I apologize to my teammates and to the Buffalo Sabres organization, as well as to my friends and family. I have learned a great deal from this experience, something I hope to be able to share with younger players. I will accept this suspension and continue to work hard to prepare for the 2014-15 season."

Does that include veterinary counters?

 

[Bates]

Personally I only care that the sporting body prevent the athlete from taking something that has known or unknown long term health risks to the athlete.  If there are products that helps a player recover quicker from injury or produce better without a major health risk I couldn't care less if they took them.  Jesus they can't even take a cold medicine to help relieve the symptoms of a cold???  And certainly anything that Ordinary Joe can take should be permitted to be taken by a pro athlete.