The Tokyo Yakult Swallows have released right-hander Daniel Rios, who was handed a one-year suspension late last month for failing drug tests, the Japanese baseball commissioner's office announced Monday.
Nippon Professional Baseball imposed the suspension after a test conducted in May showed traces of hydroxystanozolol, a metabolite of the anabolic steroid stanozolol, and the second urine sample taken from Rios found the same banned substance. Yakult said soon after NPB's announcement on June 28 that it intended to release him.
Rios later lodged an appeal asking for a review of the punishment and analysis of the supplements he had taken, which he argued resulted in the drug test failure. By July 29, Rios is due to notify NPB of details of the steps he must take to open the way for a review of the suspension slapped on him.