Calgary’s Quinn Smith busted for steroids, uses familiar excuse

Calgary Stampeders defensive lineman Quinn Smith has been suspended three games for violating the CFL’s drug policy.

Smith was caught using methandienone, a steroid popular with bodybuilders (including Arnold Schwarzenegger.)

It is the first violation under the league’s new anti-doping policy launched last April, which features expanded testing conducted by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES). The league had previously gone more than a year without drug testing.

Under the new policy, CFL players are supposed to receive a two-game suspension for a first offence but because Smith tested positive at the 2014 CFL Combine, he was subjected to a three-game ban. Smith was drafted seventh overall by the Stampeders that same season.

Smith issued a statement through the Stampeders shortly after the suspension was announced.

‘“I want to apologize for bringing this situation into your lives, especially the Calgary Stampeders, who have always treated me like family. I am sorry to have failed a drug test,” Smith said. “It is our responsibility as men and as players to know what is going in and out of our bodies. I have not lived up to that. This is my mistake and no one else’s.”

Of course, Smith also used the I-didn’t-know-there-was-bad-stuff-in-there excuse the last time he was caught. From his statement in 2014:

“I accept full responsibility for the result of Stanozolol metabolite in my test. I can assure you it was not my intention to use a banned substance or to try to beat the system. I did not properly research the contents of supplements I obtained online and I will accept the consequences of my actions. Since it was inadvertent on my part, I have asked to have my B sample tested and am waiting for the results.”