NEW YORK, Feb. 14 -- The National Basketball Association announced today
that Matt Geiger of the Philadelphia 76ers has been suspended without
pay for two games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Steroids
Policy. Geiger's error will cost him two games' salary, $183,312 unless
an arbitration hearing lessens the penalty.
But we won [Wednesday night] anyway, so. . .one out of the way and one
to go." said the coach. Brown joked that he had received some phone
calls from steroid companies. "They're a little upset their poster
child is not what they anticipated," he said, with a laugh.
Geiger said he had taken a supplement during the summer, unaware that it
contained a substance that had been recently added to the banned list
agreed upon by the league and the players union.
In the NBA players can only be tested for opiates, amphetamines, LSD,
PCP, marijuana, and steroids.
Furthermore, veterans can only be tested once during training camp and
only for reasonable cause during the season. Rookies are tested during
camp and can be tested up to three times randomly during the season.
The player has the right to request a retest and have it sent to a
medical-review board. A suspended player is permitted to practice with
the team.
