Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon's petition for reinstatement has been denied by the NFL after he failed a drug test in March, according to a report from Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Gordon's sample, collected in March, tested positive for marijuana and dilute, which has given commissioner Roger Goodell pause in reinstating the receiver after a year-long ban for multiple failed drug tests, according to a report from Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports.
NFL denies Josh Gordon’s reinstatement
The Browns wide receiver, who reportedly failed another drug test in March, can apply for reinstatement again in August.
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Both the “A” and “B” samples in the NFL-administered drug test in March came back positive for marijuana, though it was below the positive test threshold of 35 nanograms per milliliter. Unfortunately for Gordon, the presence of a diluted sample automatically makes it a positive test.
Gordon initially applied for reinstatement in February, and could have been reinstated within 60 days of his application had this test not come up dirty. Goodell was not required to make a decision in that time frame, according to initial Fox Sports report.
When previously talking about the issue of reinstatement, Goodell said that the whole process was designed around making sure the things that led to the suspension don’t continue to happen. This is obviously a huge roadblock on that front, though he can again apply for reinstatement on Aug. 1.
Gordon was originally suspended last February for “at least a full calendar year” for multiple violations of the league’s substance abuse policy. Gordon was suspended after testing positive for alcohol after entering the league’s substance abuse program following a guilty plea for a DUI charge. He was suspended for the full 2014 season following a failed drug test the previous year, but it was reduced to 10 games when the league revised its substance abuse policy.
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