New York Knicks center Joakim Noah has been handed down a 20 game suspension for breaching the NBA's anti-doping policy, it was announced on Saturday, March 25. The violation is said to be benign, with officials stating “after a thorough investigation, the National Basketball Players Association believes Joakim Noah did not intentionally or knowingly violate any policy of the CBA.”
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency reports that it picked up traces of a substance called Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator LGD-4033, which Noah has since admitted to ingesting in order to boost his testosterone. Noah has only played 17 games throughout the course of the 2017 season, due to injury. The one time Chicago Bull had surgery in late February, and could have been taking the over the counter drug, which has properties that are likened to anabolic agents, to speed up his recovery.
Fellow former Bull Derrick Rose, who is known for being injury prone, spoke with the press on the risk of taking over the counter supplements, stating “The supplements I take are from the team. I heard over the years it’s very tricky about what you get over the counter, especially things that’s over the counter, once they get in your system they can actually change when they’re in your system. That’s what I’ve been hearing but I don’t take them.”
Noah's suspension stands to cost him between $2.45 and $2.75 million, as he will have to give up 1/110th of his salary for each game he misses this year, should he return this year, and/or 1/145th of his $72 million salary with the league's policy changing in 2018. Noah was on track to rejoin the team by season's end. His suspension could not go into effect until he is physically fit to be on the floor, thus the earlier he can be ruled healthy to play by physicians, the better, according to word floating around Knicks brass, as the team would like to get him to burn the suspension before beginning next season with a fresh start.
Source: nydailynews.com
