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Ryan Braun will no longer miss 50 games for violating baseball's performance-enhancing drug policy.
The outfielder's suspension was overturned on appeal by arbitrator Shyam Das. It is the first time that a baseball player has won an appeal after being suspended for using PEDs.
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Braun had one of his best seasons in 2011 and won the National League MVP Award. He batted .332, hit 33 home runs and drove in 111 runs for the division-leading Brewers.
As soon as word spread that the outfielder would be suspended in December, Braun was defiant about his innocence.
Now that the decision has been overturned, Braun feels vindicated.
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"I am very pleased and relieved by today's decision. It is the first step in restoring my good name and reputation. We were able to get through this because I am innocent and the truth is on our side."
Friend of Braun and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers celebrated the decision on Twitter.
"MLB and cable sports tried to sully the reputation of an innocent man. Picked the wrong guy to mess with. Truth will set u free #exonerated," tweeted Rodgers.
While Rodgers and Braun are proclaiming the MVP's innocence, not everyone is convinced that Braun is not a cheater.
In the eyes of many, Braun is still guilty.
Even though he won his appeal, Braun was not exactly found innocent. Reports say the arbitrator ruled in Braun's favor because his urine samples were mishandled.
Braun will not miss the first 50 games of the season because there was a problem in the chain of custody.
Braun did not argue that the test results were flawed, or even that his results were tampered with. His sample showed testosterone levels that were five times higher than normal.
He argued that the typical collection procedure was not followed correctly.
