Seahawks’ Richard Sherman’s PED defense: A broken specimen cup
Attorneys for Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman have made an interesting appeal to his four-game suspension for allegedly taking the performance-enhancing drug, Adderall.
They said that Sherman’s urine specimen was contaminated due to a broken specimen cup, according to ESPN.
Here’s the argument behind Sherman’s appeal: The cup containing his urine specimen leaked. That prompted the collector to place a second cup underneath it to capture any leakage.
Sherman’s attorneys claim that the second cup’s seal had already been broken before it was used to stop the leakage from the first specimen cup.
Since the second cup’s seal was broken, Sherman’s lawyers argued that his urine sample was contaminated as a result of the second cup and that the chain of custody was also broken.
And that, they say, should nullify Sherman’s positive test for Adderall.
Meantime, Sunday night against the San Francisco 49ers, Sherman returned a blocked field goal 90 yards for a touchdown. He also picked off his seventh interception of the season during the 42-13 victory.
How would he feel if he lost his appeal?
“I won’t be disappointed at all, to tell you the truth,” Sherman said after the 49ers game. “It is what it is. It will be a decision by the league, and I’m sure my teammates will go out there and show up like we always do. The next man will step up and do a great job, and I’m not worried at all.”
Update on 12/27: Sherman won his appeal.
Even in an unfortunate losing effort, it was obvious that Greg McElroy is a big step-up from Loser Sanchez.