Texas Rangers manager admits cocaine use

Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington announced he had used cocaine once during the first half of last season.  Washington came forward to team officials at the time and offered to resign.  Club president Nolan Ryan confirmed that Washington’s removal was discussed, “He came forward and offered to resign. He understood the consequences and we had a lot of discussions and soul-searching, and we felt that we would treat him just as we would other employees through our Human Resources Department. We chose to do that because he was sincere and forthright. “

Washington failed a random Major League Baseball drug test and went through MLB’s drug treatment program.

Washington gave a press conference and released the following statement:

STATEMENT BY RON WASHINGTON

I am here today to apologize for a huge mistake I made during the first half of the season in 2009.

I am not here to make excuses. There are none.

I am not here to ask for sympathy. That would be asking too much.

I fully understand that I disappointed a lot of people—-my family, my players, coaches, as well as the team’s leadership, especially Nolan Ryan and Jon Daniels, as well as young people who may have looked up to me.

I am truly sorry for my careless, dangerous, and frankly, stupid, behavior last year.

Clearly, you have never seen me speak from a script before. But this is a time that I need to get the words exactly right.

Here’s the biggest question: how and why did this happen?

That’s a question I have had to face in numerous sessions with counselors. 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.

That was the wrong way to do it. It was self-serving, and believe me, not worth it. I know you will ask, and so here’s the answer: this was the one and only time I used this drug.

I made a huge mistake, and it almost caused me to lose everything I have worked for all of my life.

Shortly after I did this, MLB notified me that I would have a routine drug test. Before even taking the test, I notified the league about the drug use. Right after that test, I told Jon Daniels and Nolan Ryan about my shameful behavior. I offered them my resignation.

They asked a lot of difficult questions. Remarkably, these two men, after a lot of thought and prayer, allowed me to stay here through last season.

However, they also directed me to immediately begin MLB’s drug treatment program, which is a thorough and exhaustive process, and it includes the administration of drug tests at least three times a week.

I am proud to report to you that I have completed that program.

I am not proud to admit this terrible error.

This morning, I talked to our players. I assured them that this will never happen again, and I asked them to forgive me. In the true spirit of a “team,” they seemed to embrace me not only as a manager but as a human being. I won’t let you down again. Please know that I will personally take on the challenge of telling young people my story and my mistake. I don’t know what form that will take, but I am committed to do that.

I am hopeful that our fans, both Rangers fans and Major League Baseball fans, will accept this heartfelt and humble attempt to say: I’m so sorry for what I did.