National League’s Braun faces doping ban

US baseball’s National League Most Valuable Player Ryan Braun tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug and could face a 50-game ban if the finding is confirmed, ESPN reported on Saturday. The sports network cited two sources familiar with the case, but Major League Baseball has not announced any positive test for Braun, who is disputing the result. A spokesman for Braun issued a statement to ESPN on Saturday saying the player expected to be “exonerated.” “There are highly unusual circumstances surrounding this case which will support Ryan’s complete innocence and demonstrate there was absolutely no intentional violation of the program,” the statement said.