Toronto Maple Leafs forward Carter Ashton has been suspended 20 games for violating terms of the NHL/NHLPA's performance-enhancing drugs policy, the league announced Thursday.
Ashton, in a statement released by the NHLPA, claims he unwittingly ingested the drug Clenbuterol after borrowing a training partner's inhaler to treat his exercise-induced asthma.
"At no time was I seeking to gain an athletic advantage or to knowingly violate the terms of the program," he said in the statement.
Ashton, 23, also said he will not appeal the suspension. Per the terms of the suspension, he cannot participate in team activities until there are 10 days remaining in his suspension. Ashton can then participate in team meetings and practices, but not games.
"As a professional hockey player, I recognize that I am responsible for what I put into my body, and I will not appeal my suspension," Ashton said in the statement. "While I am extremely disappointed that I have let my teammates, our fans and the Maple Leafs organization down, I will work very hard during my suspension to stay in game shape so that I can help out the team when I am able to return."
Ashton, a first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2009 draft, has played in only three games for the Leafs this season.
"The Toronto Maple Leafs support the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program and today's decision to suspend forward Carter Ashton. At this time, out of respect for Carter and the process involved, the club will not comment any further," team president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement issued Thursday.
Though Ashton now has a proper prescription inhaler, according to agent Rick Valette, he did not report his initial use of the inhaler to program doctors immediately or seek a therapeutic use exemption at that time. Had he done that, he might have had a better chance at appealing the suspension. Valette conceded that his client should have gone right to the doctors after his initial use.
"That's an absolute mistake. That's on Carter and he accepts that," Vallette told ESPN.com.
Still, Valette feels the punishment was harsh given his client's intentions.
"A one-size-fits-all scenario in terms of 20 games, I think that needs to be looked at," Valette said. "I don't think it's fair. I don't think the suspension is fair for what he did. There's no disputing what he did, but given the nature of what he did versus other cases in other sports ... I guess what I'm trying to say is that one size fits all does not work for me. I think that's a flawed system."
As it stands, Ashton will serve his suspension while training and skating at an off-site facility yet to be determined.
Ashton is the second player in the past year to incur such a suspension. Former Buffalo Sabres forward Zenon Konopka, now an unrestricted free agent, also was assessed a 20-game ban for violating the policy in May.
Last week, the American Hockey League suspended forward Brad Mills for 20 games for violating the terms of the its performance-enhancing drugs policy.