Report: Sammy Sosa Tested Positive in 2003

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The New York Times says that Sammy Sosa is one of the major league baseball players who tested positive for a banned substance in 2003, citing lawyers who know about the drug test results from that year.

That year was the first in which MLB conducted tests to see if mandatory, random drug-testing was going to be needed. There were no actual penalties for a positive test result back in 2003.

Results from the 2003 surveys were supposed to remain anonymous.

In early June, Sosa, 40, said he was planning on announcing his retirement from baseball soon, and would not address allegations of steroid use.

“I will calmly wait for my induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Don’t I have the numbers to be inducted?” said Sosa, who presently serves the Dominican government as special ambassador for investment opportunities.

Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was one of those on the 2003 list as having tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. The test result was first reported by Sports Illustrated in February, and Rodriguez admitted to having taken steroids while with the Texas Rangers from 2001 to 2003.

A lawyer for Sosa, Jay Reisinger, declined comment to the Times. An MLB official likewise declined comment to the newspaper.

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