Sports Medicine Master System-Chapter 121 - 87: Banned Drug (2)
"I understand," Guardiola replied. He paused for a moment before thanking him again.
After hanging up, Chen Yu picked up the report again, a headache already forming.
This substance was clearly something new.
’This definitely isn’t on the current list of banned substances.’
’But just because it’s not on the list, does that mean using it isn’t a violation?’
Doping and anti-doping organizations were always playing a game of cat and mouse, but he couldn’t forget that they could retroactively settle the score.
Just because it’s undetectable now doesn’t mean it will be in the future. When they do figure it out, it’s the athlete whose reputation gets dragged through the mud.
So, it was best to avoid it if at all possible.
’If you really want to get stronger, you should just train honestly. No shortcuts.’
With that in mind, Chen Yu took out a small vial, poured out a few pills, and mailed them to the University of California, Los Angeles.
Chen Yu knew there was an anti-doping laboratory there.
At the very least, he needed to determine what this stuff actually was.
He returned to the hospital room.
Ronaldo was already awake, his right knee immobilized and unable to move.
Moratti was there, along with Ronaldo’s three beloved agents.
Chen Yu checked the clinical signs and medication records, then instructed Ronaldo to get plenty of rest.
His own clinic was already being renovated. Soon, not only Ronaldo but Hardaway as well could be transferred there to recuperate.
After giving his instructions, Chen Yu prepared to leave.
He was still the Suns’ team doctor, after all. And while Brian had never complained, Chen Yu couldn’t just take the money and not do his job.
Today was the 17th, and the Suns had training scheduled.
Tomorrow, the Suns would be starting another four-game road trip, so this was the last regular practice before they left.
Chen Yu planned to head over early to officially kick off his training regimen overhaul.
However, just as he stepped out the door, Moratti hurried after him.
The two of them found a corner in the hallway.
"Chen, I’m so grateful to you. You’re a great doctor, and I’m so glad Ronnie was able to find you," Moratti began, showering him with thanks.
Chen Yu had heard this at least ten times already.
"You don’t need to thank me again. Ronnie is a high-profile patient; treating him successfully benefits me as well." Chen Yu waved a hand dismissively. "By the way," he added, "you should ride your bicycle more."
The old man’s lumbar spine still showed signs of misalignment.
Moratti nodded to show he understood, then said, "Actually, there’s something else. I have a friend, you could say, whose team has a player in a similar situation to Ronnie’s. It’s also a ligament injury, and his recovery after surgery hasn’t been ideal, so..."
Chen Yu cut him off. "No problem. But I’m very busy lately, so I probably can’t go to Europe. If possible, have him come to the United States, and I’ll take a look at his condition."
Treating a FIFA World Player of the Year like Ronaldo was clearly a great way to expand his business into the world of soccer.
And just like that, a new patient was already knocking on his door.
"By the way, what’s his name?" Chen Yu asked casually.
"Fernando Redondo."
Moratti sighed.
He’d always had his eye on this incredibly talented, top-tier defensive midfielder.
It was just that the guy had run out of luck after transferring from Real Madrid to Serie A last year.
On his second day as an official AC Milan player, he somehow managed to injure himself just by going for a run.
Previously, when Moratti was looking for a doctor for Ronaldo, Silvio had helped out.
And now, likely having seen Chen Yu operate on Ronaldo, Silvio had contacted Moratti again, hoping Chen Yu would diagnose Redondo.
He had spent 17 million US Dollars to bring the star from Real Madrid, only for him to not play a single match. It felt like a total waste.
Chen Yu jotted down the name and turned to leave.
At nine in the morning, Chen Yu arrived at the US Airways Center.
"Melissa." After the department meeting, Chen Yu called over the nutritionist, Melissa Goodwin, and asked for that day’s menu.
Normally, when the team had practice—like today’s two-hour session from 10:00 to 12:00—they provided lunch afterward.
This lunch was Melissa’s responsibility. She would create a specialized nutritional menu based on the players’ daily activity levels and physical conditions.
Chen Yu didn’t beat around the bush. He brought over a suitcase and said, "I plan on adding a few things to the menu."
With that, he opened the suitcase.
Melissa had noticed Chen Yu carrying the suitcase during the meeting and had been curious about what was inside. As soon as he opened it, she immediately crouched down to take a look.
"Boss, what is all this?"
Melissa picked up a bag. "This looks like American ginseng, right? I know they grow it over in Wisconsin. It’s supposed to contain saponins, but it’s mostly exported to East Asia."
As a professional nutritionist, Melissa was quite knowledgeable.
Chen Yu said, "This isn’t American ginseng. It’s ginseng from China."
Chen Yu knew that the English word for American ginseng was "ginseng." But this kind, the ginseng from East Asia, didn’t even have its own specific English name.
Over here in the United States, there was virtually no understanding of it.
Even American ginseng—if he hadn’t specifically researched it, Chen Yu wouldn’t have known about it either.
In the United States, practically no one consumed it; it was generally considered just another food item.
Let alone going through the tedious certification process to be approved as a drug.
But according to the information he’d gotten from his system, the ginseng from East Asia was not the same thing as the American ginseng produced in the United States and Canada.
Chen Yu was actually skeptical about this claim.
The two looked very similar in color and shape. Most importantly, they were grown at the same latitude, with similar environments and climates.
