The Venezuelan professional baseball league (LVBP) has opened proceedings against Alex Cabrera, a player with Tigres de Aragua, for breaching its anti-doping rules, it announced on 31 October. The LVBP argues that under Article 18 of its rules, Cabrera was required to take a doping test prior to being added to the club’s roster for the current season, as he had previously committed a violation of the LVBP’s anti-doping rules.

In a further statement, the LVBP said that on 25 October, it had informed Tigres de Aragua that Cabrera was required to take a test before being added to the club roster for the upcoming season. However the player was added to the roster and took part in games against Cardenales de Lara and Águilas del Zulia on 28-30 October. No test was received from Cabrera, as it is understood that he thought he did not have to take the test due to the history of his case, after his previous suspension was annulled.

The LVBP areas that although the 25-game suspension was annulled, his doping rule violation remains. A sample given by Cabrera on 3 January tested positive for Adderall, as stated in the laboratory report on 1 February. Adderall is commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). On 29 February, the LVBP sanctioned the 44 year-old player with a 25 game suspension.

‘The judgment of the Second Administrative Court did not nullify or question the process of sampling by the Anti-Doping Committee of the LVBP or the positive result from the use of a banned substance called “Adderall”’, read the LVBP’s second statement. ‘On the contrary, the ruling only dealt with the disciplinary sanction imposed by the LVBP, considering it violated the right to due process’.