MLS haunted by drug use

The Major League Soccer (MLS) has suspended Columbus Crew defender Josh Williams after he was found violating its substance abuse policy June 8.

Five players from the Mexican national team were suspended on June 9 for allegedly testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid.

From Oregonlive.com:

Several current MLS players said they think Williams' suspension will prove to be an aberration, in part because of the league's strong track record on drug prevention and in part because soccer players don't feel pressure to bulk up.

"I don't think people are doing it in general at all," Colorado forward Conor Casey said. "And the guys that are, I would doubt that they're doing it on purpose."

Williams is the third player in the league's 16 years to be suspended for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Defender Jeff Parke and goalkeeper Jon Conway of the New York Red Bulls were each suspended 10 games and fined 10 percent their salaries in 2008 for using PEDs (androstatriendione and boldenone metabolites, that, according to the league, were ingredients in an over-the-counter nutritional supplement the players purchased at a vitamin store).

Mexico's soccer federation suspended five national team players after the players tested positive for clenbuterol. However, on Thursday, the federation said results from a second test conducted June 10 came back negative.

"There is no place in sport for performance enhancing drugs," MLS commissioner Don Garber said in a statement. "We continue to hold our players responsible and accountable for everything they ingest in order to ensure the integrity of our competition."