NEW YORK (AP) — The person who collected Ryan Braun’s urine samples that tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone says he followed the collection program’s protocol.
Dino Laurenzi Jr. issued a statement Tuesday confirming he handled the sample submitted following a playoff game on Oct. 1. He says he has been a collector for Comprehensive Drug Testing since 2005 and has taken more than 600 samples for Major League Baseball’s drug-testing program.
Braun’s 50-game suspension was overturned last week.
Laurenzi says he stored Braun’s sample in his basement in accordance with drug-collecting procedure because there was “no FedEx office located within 50 miles of Miller Park that would ship packages that day or Sunday.”
Braun, however, contends at least five FedEx locations within 5 miles were open until 9 p.m. and there also was a 24-hour location.
Laurenzi says protocol is to “safeguard” the samples at home until FedEx can ship the sample to the lab and that he didn’t tamper with the package.
