University of Florida quarterback Will Grier was suspended for one year on Monday afternoon after the school revealed he had taken an over-the-counter supplement containing substances banned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Grier did not check with the team's medical staff before taking the supplement, and apologized for the incident. The school's starting quarterback was visibly upset during a press conference on the matter.
"I really hope people can learn from the mistake. I'm really sorry to everyone. I'm just really sorry," he said before quickly leaving the podium.
Information about the banned substance was not released by the school.
Grier, a freshman, completed over 65 percent of his passes this year. The undefeated Florida Gators will play against undefeated LSU Tigers this weekend, a game which will be more difficult to win without Grier.
"We aren't happy it happened. Each one of us in this room have probably done something wrong. That's part of growing up, that's part of life. We're here for him," Coach Jim McElwain said during a press conference.
The university will appeal the decision to suspend Grier.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Polly Mosendz is a breaking news reporter for Newsweek. She was previously a staff writer for The Wire and associate editor for The Atlantic. Her reporting on the Islamic State has been recognized by a variety of organizations, including the Middle East Institute. Her writing has appeared in The New York Observer, The Commercial Observer, Cosmopolitan, Business Insider, Yahoo News and a variety of other publications. Born in Kiev, Ukraine, she is fluent in both Ukrainian and Russian. Mosendz attended the New School University where she studied media writing and American history. She lives in Greenwich Village with many books.
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