Rashard Lewis Suspended 10 Games for Taking Banned Substance

Orlando’s Rashard Lewis will miss the first ten games on the 2009-10 season for testing positive for a banned substance.  The substance in question is DHEA or Dehydroepiandrosteron, according to the Orlando Sentinel .  The DHEA was found in an over-the-counter supplement.  Though it is banned by the NBA, most studies suggest that it doesn’t have a statistically significant effect on testosterone levels. Lewis apologized for the incident saying “”First and foremost I take full responsibility for the situation and accept the corresponding penalty. Toward the end of the season I took an over-the-counter supplement which at the time I did not realize included a substance banned by the NBA. I apologize to Magic fans, my teammates and this organization for not doing the research that should come with good judgment. I hope this unintentional mistake will not reflect poorly on our team and its great character. I hope every athlete can learn from my mistake that supplements, no matter how innocent they seem, should only be taken after consulting an expert in the field.” Obviously Lewis’ fantasy value takes a slight hit as he’ll miss roughly 1/18 of the season.  It may also take him some time to get his rhythm after the layoff.  Look for Vince Carter and Dwight Howard to shoulder the scoring load while Lewis is out.

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