NEW YORK — The person who collected Ryan Braun’s urine sample that tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone said he followed the collection program’s protocol.
Dino Laurenzi Jr. issued a statement Tuesday confirming he handled the sample submitted after a playoff game Oct. 1. He said 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.
“At no point did I tamper in any way with the samples,” Laurenzi said.
Laurenzi’s name emerged last week after the NL MVP’s 50-game suspension was overturned, making Braun the first big-leaguer to successfully challenge a drug-related penalty in a grievance.
The Milwaukee Brewers outfielder was not available for comment Tuesday.
Laurenz2i said he stored Braun’s sample in his basement in accordance with CDT’s protocol because there was “no FedEx office located within 50 miles of Miller Park that would ship packages that day or Sunday.”
Braun, however, has said at least five FedEx locations within 5 miles were open until 9 p.m. and there also was a 24-hour location.
Laurenzi said the operating procedure is to “safeguard” the samples at home until FedEx can ship the sample to the lab.
“There have been other occasions when I have had to store samples in my home for at least one day, all without incident,” he said.
Laurenzi added that he had “performed my job duties with integrity and professionalism.”
He said he issued the statement “to set the record straight.”
Last week, Braun said he was the “victim” of a “fatally flawed” system.
The Associated Press
