As Clemson prepares to take on Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl for one of the College Football Playoff semifinal games this weekend, the status of three players appears to be up in the air. Defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, offensive lineman Zach Giella and tight end Braden Galloway have reportedly failed a drug test due to a trace of ostarine in samples recently tested by the NCAA.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney addressed the news with media on Monday and suggested the players did not willingly or knowingly ingest the substance.
“They have no clue how it got in their system. This could have come from hair products, cream, protein, a product you buy online and you think nothing is wrong with it. It could be something in a drink,” Swinney said in defending his players, according to Tiger Illustrated. “40 or so athletes over the last year or so have had to deal with same thing, and several were vindicated.”
Clemson is currently appealing the positive drug tests, which leaves the eligibility for all three players in limbo ahead of the Cotton Bowl matchup with the Fighting Irish. An update on their status may not be known until after Christmas after having to provide a second sample for examination
Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator typically used for the treatment muscle wasting and osteoporosis. It has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.