Two Red Bulls suspended for performance drugs

NEW YORK (Goal.com) -- Major League Soccer announced Thursday afternoon that two players from the New York Red Bulls, goalkeeper Jon Conway and defender Jeff Parke, have been suspended effective immediately after testing positive for the performance-enhancing substances androstatriendione (ATD) and boldenone metabolites.

Both Conway and Parke received 10-game bans, including regular season and playoff games. They have also been fined 10 percent of their annual salary. For Conway, this comes out to $11,500; for Parke, it works out to roughly $5,750.

"MLS has one of the strictest drug policies in professional sports and holds its athletes both responsible and accountable for what they put into their bodies," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement released by the league. "This is an important statement as to the high standards to which we hold our players."

This marks the first performance-enhancing case for Major League Soccer in its 13 years in operation.

According to the league, the two players took an over-the-counter nutritional supplement that contained ATD, a substance that metabolizes into boldenone. Both ATD and boldenone are under MLS's "Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health" policy.

Until now, Conway, an eight-year MLS veteran, had started all 28 league matches for the Red Bulls, posting 9-10-9 record with a 1.5 goals-against average. Parke, the final draft pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft, had started 23 matches this season, and was fourth on the team in minutes played.

The Red Bulls are currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference and holding on to the final wildcard spot. They face the Columbus Crew on Saturday night at Giants Stadium.