POSITIVE TEST NOT NEGATIVE FOR KUO PITCHER NOT EXPECTED TO BE PENALIZED AGENT INSISTS HE TOOK COLD MEDICINE, NOT EPHEDRA.

Byline: TONY JACKSON 

Staff Writer

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Dodgers left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo, who pitched five strong innings to help his native Chinese Taipei to victory in the first round of the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, in December, tested positive for the banned substance ephedra before that event. But it doesn't appear Kuo intentionally ingested the substance, nor does it appear the test will create a problem for either Kuo or the Dodgers.

A Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee official told the Associated Press that Kuo and two other Taiwanese players who tested positive for ephedra had ingested the substance innocently through either a cold or pain medication. The three reportedly were then asked to clear all future medications through the team's doctors.

Kevin Chen, secretary general of CTOC, told the Associated Press that the situation is, "completely innocent."

Alan Chang, Kuo's Chicago-based agent, said his client took an herbal medicine that "could cause the positive test result." Chang wasn't sure whether the medicine actually contained ephedra or another substance that might mimic ephedra in a drug test.

A Major League Baseball official said the commissioner's office is looking into the matter. But that investigation appears to be merely procedural in nature, and it is highly unlikely that Kuo would face punishment by MLB for failing a drug test in a competition that took place separately from, and independently of, MLB.

"Kuo did not take anything illegal or against major-league drug policy," Chang said.

Kuo did not travel with the team for Monday's Grapefruit League game with Baltimore, but he did tell the Associated Press back in Vero Beach that, "I just play baseball. I didn't take anything."

Chang said he has been in touch with Dodgers officials about the matter and that those officials were satisfied with the explanation. Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti was traveling and unavailable for comment, but the club issued a statement.

"We have spoken with Kuo and his agent, and we are aware that Major League Baseball is looking into this issue," it read. "Given Kuo's explanation that this was simply cold medicine, we consider it a non-issue unless new developments come to light."

Chang also denied that the drug test was the reason Kuo didn't pitch in the championship game, saying Kuo instead had shut himself down at the request of Dodgers officials because he felt mild pain in his pitching arm. Kuo didn't pitch again until he arrived last month in spring training, but he appears to be healthy now and is a slight favorite to land the vacant fifth spot club's in the starting rotation.

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