Not that it’s acceptable, but when players are caught using illegal drugs once their suspension has been served the player is normally welcomed back with open arms.
There are exceptions of course, just look at Adrian Mutu.
So should managers be treated the same? Well, no - because managers are supposed to have the respect of the players and are supposed to lead the team. If you knew your manager at work had a drug problem, would you respect him/her?
Ron Washington, the Texas Rangers manager, was forced to apologise on Wednesday after testing positive for cocaine during the 2009 season. Yet despite his admission, he has not been relieved of his duties and his offer of resignation was turned down.
"I apologise for a huge mistake I made, I'm not here to make excuses. I'm not here for sympathy. That would be asking too much. I'm truly sorry for my careless, dangerous and, frankly, stupid behaviour last year,” Washington said in a prepared statement at a news conference Wednesday.
Washington was treated as a first-time offender under MLB rules because he had not previously failed a test and underwent extensive treatment as an outpatient. He also was tested three times a week.
Club president Nolan Ryan said: "I was in total shock. Then I was mad, then I was very disappointed. I went through an array of emotions.
"We think of him as part of our family, just because somebody in your family makes a mistake doesn't mean you quit loving them. We'll move forward,” Ryan said.
Indeed, Ryan is correct in saying you don’t stop loving a person for making a mistake, but Washington is in a position of authority, one where young children someday aspire to be.
There is one question which was not answered on Wednesday and that is why did he use the substance?
"That's a question I have had to face in numerous sessions with counsellors, I've learned a lot about myself personally, and I recognize that this episode was an attempt to dodge personal anxieties and personal issues I needed to confront,” Washington said.
Until that question is answered the Rangers’ decision to keep Washington will continually be scrutinised.
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