Soccer players are human too. As great as they are as athletes, they too can fall victim to the influence of drugs. Such is the case for one Major League Soccer player.
Goalkeeper Josh Saunders will be lost to the Galaxy for an indefinite period after being enrolled in the MLS’s substance abuse treatment program. This according to the LA Times.
The Galaxy was informed that Saunders would be unavailable to play until he completes a treatment protocol, despite the fact that he did not fail a league-administered drug test but have been evasive in explaining his absence. Saunders missed last Saturday’s tie with FC Dallas and is unavailable for Wednesday night’s match in Seattle, with Coach Bruce Arena saying only that the keeper was missing for “personal reasons.”
This is not the first time, nor will it be the last, that the MLS has a player who needs treatment for substance abuse. An earlier version of this story said that New England Revolution player Shalrie Joseph was suspended for six weeks in 2010 for being in a substance abuse program. Although Joseph missed six weeks that season while he was in the program, Major League Soccer said that he was not suspended.
This could be the end of the line for the 31-year-old who has been a backup most of his eight-year pro career. Saunders took over the starting keeper position last year after Donovan Ricketts broke an arm and he went on to set career highs for games, starts and minutes played. After posting eight shutouts in the regular season he recorded two more in the 2011 playoffs, including a 1-0 win over the Houston Dynamo in the MLS Cup final.
The Galaxy seems to have a short leash for keepers with health issues. The Galaxy rewarded Saunders by trading Ricketts, a former MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, to Montreal a week after the season ended. Could this be his last chance to start for the Galaxy?
Perhaps he will get a second chance after taking a California drug class and finishing the league’s substance abuse program.