Former Washington Wizard Juan Dixon. Photo by Ben Shlesinger.
I've waited to write about Juan Dixon's positive steroids test until more of the story came out. Now, Dixon has spoken.
He was interviewed by Dana O'Neil of espn.com and he flatly denied using steroids. You can read that article here. Click here for the original story about his positive test.
Unfortunately in the current sports world denials are never enough. We all have learned that steroids aren't just for bulking up, they're for a faster recovery too. So all because someone has a small frame, like Dixon, it does not mean they 100 percent did not use.
On the other hand, I think tests can produce false positives too often. I used to be a frequent blood donor to the American Red Cross. That is until a routine test showed I had Chagas, a tropical parasitic disease. Follow up tests showed it was a false positive but to err on the side of safety the Red Cross banned me from donating for life.
I tell that story because if the Red Cross can test my sample and say I have Chagas, Juan Dixon's test could have produced a false positive when he was tested in Greece as well. Truth be told, I may not be the most unbiased observer here but I never believed Dixon took steroids. I had class with him at the University of Maryland and my brother worked at a gym that Dixon frequented. Most people will say he is one of the two best players ever at Maryland and he was the star of the team that won the 2002 NCAA national title in Atlanta with me in the stands. Furthermore, the only autographed jersey I have is Dixon's Washington Wizards No. 3.
With all that, out in the open, I still have no shame in believing Dixon. He's always come across as an honest person and I don't think he'd ever be stupid enough to take steroids. Here's to hoping his B test comes back negative and he's able to continue his pro career.
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