Adidas drops MLB star Fernando Tatis Jr. after steroid suspension
Padres' Fernando Tatis, who was suspended 80 games on Aug. 12, partnered with Adidas since 2020
Adidas ended its partnership Fernando Tatis Jr. after he was suspended for 80 games without pay due to performance-enhancing drugs.
Tatis had partnered with Adidas since 2020.
"We believe that sport should be fair. We have a clear policy on doping and can confirm that our partnership with Fernando Tatis Jr. will not continue," an Adidas spokesperson told ESPN.
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Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres flips his bat after hitting a three-run home run in the six inning during Game 2 of the Wild Card Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, (Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Tatis was suspended on Aug. 12 after he tested positive for Clostebol, which he claims took unknowingly.
"I should have used the resources available to me in order to ensure that no banned substances were in what I took. I failed to do so," he said in a statement.
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He added that he took the medication to treat ringworm.
"I have no excuse for my error, and I would never do anything to cheat or disrespect this game I love," he added.
San Diego Padres infielder Fernando Tatis Jr. looks on from the dugout during a regular season Major League Baseball game between the San Diego Padres and the Detroit Tigers on July 27, 2022 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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"It’s very disappointing," Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller said soon after the suspension came down. "He’s somebody that, from the organization’s standpoint, we’ve invested time and money into.
"When he’s on the field, he’s a difference maker. You have to learn from the situations. We were hoping that from the offseason to now that there would be some maturity, and obviously with the news today, it’s more of a pattern, and it’s something that we’ve got to dig a bit more into. ... I’m sure he’s very disappointed. But, at the end of the day, it’s one thing to say it. You’ve got to start showing by your actions."
Tatis signed a 13-year deal worth $340 million before the start of the 2021 season despite playing in just 143 games. He had not played this year due to a wrist injury he suffered in a motorcycle accident, and was on a rehab assignment when he was suspended.
Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres plays during a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins July 30, 2022 at Petco Park in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Tatis is also suspended for the 2022 postseason. He is eligible to return on May 5 of next season.