A Milwaukee Brewers fan faced ejection from a game for wearing a modified Ryan Braun shirt that read, "Fraud." The shirt, expressing outrage over the slugger's admitted use of performance-enhancing drugs, later earned the fan an apology from the Brewers.
Brewers fan Karen Eidem said she was told to either change her shirt or leave Miller Park. She chose instead to turn the shirt inside out, NBC 4 in Milwaukee reported.
"I mean it was obviously meant as a joke, but to put me in a position where I'm the one to be perceived as doing something wrong, that kind of bothered me," Eidem told NBC 4.
The Brewers issued a statement and said (via NBC 4):
"In this case, the fan absolutely should have been able to wear the jersey without any intervention by our staff. We welcome the opportunity for fans to express their opinions. The only circumstances that would warrant us intervening is if someone were to display a message or item that would be considered offensive to other fans. This is not a case where that line was crossed, and we're sorry for the inconvenience to her. We will reach out to Ms. Eidem to invite her to another game this year as our guest."
The MLB announced on Monday Braun's 65-game suspension, which will keep him sidelined for the rest of the season without pay. Braun is the first person suspended since the MLB's Biogenesis investigation began, according to USA Today Sports.
"As I have acknowledged in the past, I am not perfect," Braun said in a statement, according to USA Today Sports. "I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions."
Links to Biogenesis, a lab that reportedly provided performance-enhancing drugs to athletes, is expected to lead to a number of suspensions in baseball. Braun's suspension is likely the first of many to come.
