Here’s an unfortunate story in sports. The NBA has handed Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis a 25-game suspension after violating the league’s anti-drug policy. The suspension, which sidelines Portis for a significant portion of the season, stems from his positive test for tramadol, a pain medication recently added to the banned substance list.
According to ESPN, Portis’ agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports, explained that the suspension arose from an honest mistake. “I am devastated for Bobby right now because he made an honest mistake and the ramifications of it are incredibly significant,” Bartelstein said.
This he clarified the situation further, stating, “Bobby unintentionally took a pain medication called tramadol, thinking he was taking a pain medication called Toradol. Toradol is an approved pain medication that he has used previously and that teams and players use for pain and inflammation at times. Tramadol, however, is not an approved pain medication and was just recently added to the banned substance list this past spring.”
What’s more, Bartelstein elaborated on the mix-up, revealing that the tramadol was provided to Portis by an assistant who had a valid prescription for the drug. “The tramadol pill he took came from an assistant of his, with a valid prescription for the painkiller. He mistakenly told Bobby it was Toradol. This was, again, an honest mistake that was made because of the similarity in the names of the drugs,” he said. Portis had been using the medication to manage an elbow injury he sustained last fall, believing he was taking Toradol to alleviate pain ahead of a game.
Despite the mishap, Bartelstein confirmed that Portis would not contest the suspension. “Bobby will not appeal the suspension,” he noted.
Portis’ suspension comes as a significant setback for the Bucks, who are currently sitting in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. As one of the team’s key reserves, Portis has been averaging 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game this season, ranking sixth in scoring and second in rebounding off the bench. His contributions were also vital to the Bucks’ championship run in 2021.
Portis will be eligible to return to the court on April 8, when the Bucks face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves. This will mark the final stretch of the regular season.