There appears to be a disparity in the number of Latino professional baseball players who have been suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs, according to a report by SFGate.
Most recently, Latino players Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon were suspended in connection with drug policy violations.
Eight of the last 10 suspensions have been of Latinos and since 2005, out of the 39 suspensions for players testing positive, 24 have been from Latina America, the report said.
Radio announcer Amaury Pi-Gonzalez said he has suspicions that Major League Baseball may be targeting Latinos for testing.
“I like to trust Major League Baseball that it’s a random test, but I’m starting to get a little suspicious that so many Hispanics are getting suspended,” he said.
Theories as to why so many Latinos are facing suspensions include “desperation to escape poverty, the desire to support a circle of family and friends, easy access to PEDs, bad advice, lack of education,” the report said.
(Photo by Keith Allison via Flickr)