Suspensions upheld for Clemson DT Dexter Lawrence and two others
The NCAA suspensions of Clemson DT Dexter Lawrence, TE Braden Galloway and OL Zach Giella have been upheld.
The three players were suspended after testing positive for Ostarine, a banned substance. The players’ B samples have also come back positive. The school could appeal the suspensions.
Source tells @YahooSports that the three Clemson players, including star DT Dexter Lawrence, will miss the Cotton Bowl after “B Sample” came back the same.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 28, 2018
“This evening, Clemson Athletics received confirmation from the NCAA of suspensions for tight end Braden Galloway, offensive lineman Zach Giella and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, all three of whom will be unavailable for Saturday’s game against Notre Dame,” Clemson athletic director Dan Radokovich said in a statement. “The athletic department will have no further comment on the matter this evening as it considers all of our options, including appeals.”
Clemson revealed the three players had been suspended after arriving in Dallas for Saturday’s Cotton Bowl against Notre Dame. Lawrence is a key member of the team’s fearsome defensive line and has 36 tackles and seven tackles for loss.
Ostarine is a banned substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said earlier in the week that the players didn’t have any idea how the substance ended up in their systems. Lawrence said Thursday he had “no idea” how he tested positive.
Ostarine is the trademarked name for a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM) that is not approved for human use or consumption in the U.S., or in any other country. In recent years, WADA has reported an increasing number of positive tests involving SARMs, and athletes who use these substances most likely obtain them through black market channels.
Research has shown that SARMs like ostarine have fewer androgenic properties, meaning they have less influence on the development and balance of male hormones, including testosterone. While they are not yet approved for human use, SARMs are of interest to the medical community because they might be effective at treating different health conditions without resulting in the negative side effects of steroids. Ostarine is currently being investigated as a way to treat a variety of muscle wasting diseases, such as osteoporosis, cancer, and hypogonadism.
– – – – – – –
Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.
Follow @NickBromberg on Twitter
More from Yahoo Sports:
• School district boycotting ref who made wrestler cut dreadlocks
• Bengals’ Burfict suffers 7th career concussion, 2nd this month
• Martin: Do the Giants have an Eli exit plan?
• Browns QB defends Hue Jackson staredown
