NCAA Denies Clemson Football Players’ Drug Suspension Appeal

Clemson announced today that the NCAA has denied the appeal Braden Galloway and Zach Giella made for their positive drug test and will have to sit out the entire 2019 football season. Both players, along with former Clemson DT Dexter Lawrence tested positive ahead of the 2018 College Football Playoffs and were subsequently suspended.

While Galloway and Giella submitted testimony from themselves and scientific experts about Ostarine and their positive test, it was not enough for the NCAA to overturn the appeal. As discussed before the supplement industry is not regulated well, but the onus in these situations is on the player to show how or why they tested positive. It appears that Clemson was unable to identify the source of the drug which is why the appeal was always likely to fail even with recent decisions by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the US Anti-Doping Agency to not treat trace elements as a positive test.

For Clemson this is really going to hurt at tight end. Galloway was likely to be the best option with tight end if Garrett Williams opts to pursue a military career, like many expect. Without Galloway Clemson will have to lean on J.C. Chalk, Jaelyn Lay, and Davis Allen. All of whom don’t have much experience on the field. We’ll have to see how things play out at tight end going into fall camp.