Related videos:
The Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation (FCBS) issued an official statement this Thursday acknowledging the alleged violation of anti-doping regulations by the player Alexei Ramírez Rodríguez, following the International Testing Agency detecting four anabolic steroids in a sample taken during the VI World Baseball Classic.
According to the FCBS note, the notification was sent via email by the legal department of the International Testing Agency (ITA), the organization that manages the anti-doping programs of the World Baseball Softball Confederation, and was addressed to both the federation and the athlete himself.
The statement specifies that the sample was collected during Ramírez's participation in Group A of the tournament, held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in March 2026, and that "anabolic steroids were detected in his system."
The ITA publicly announced on Wednesday that Cuban baseball player Alexei Ramírez tested positive for four banned substances: mesterolone, methandrostenolone, oxandrolone, and stanozolol, all classified as anabolic androgenic steroids under the 2026 Prohibited List of the World Anti-Doping Agency and prohibited at all times, both in and out of competition.
The simultaneous detection of all four substances in a sample is unusual and suggests, according to the ITA, a systematic use.
In accordance with the established rules for these cases, Ramírez is provisionally suspended, which prevents him from participating in any sporting events while the process is resolved. The FCBS clarified that "he has the right to request a review process" and that the federation "is in contact with him and is attentive to the steps that will arise from his decision."
Under the World Anti-Doping Code, a first violation involving unspecified substances typically results in a four-year suspension; however, this duration can be reduced if the athlete demonstrates a lack of fault or significant negligence.
Before the notification was made public, Ramírez had been announced as a reinforcement for the Cazadores de Artemisa for the IV Elite League of Cuban baseball, which starts on May 2, but he declined the invitation citing "personal issues," which raised suspicions that are now clarified.
Ramírez, born in Pinar del Río on September 22, 1981, became the oldest player in the history of the World Baseball Classic by participating at the age of 44, surpassing the record held by Roger Clemens at 43 in 2006. In his Major League career (2008-2016), he primarily played as shortstop for the Chicago White Sox, with a batting average of .270, 115 home runs, and 590 runs batted in.
Cuba, for its part, was eliminated in the group stage of the World Classic after losing 2-7 to Canada, finishing with a record of two wins and two losses in Group A, and Ramírez's situation adds to a generally adverse circumstance for several players of team Cuba after the Classic.
The ITA indicated that it will not make any further statements while the process is ongoing, so the final resolution of the case will depend on the decision made by Ramírez regarding his right to review.
Filed under: