Darryl Strawberry supports Nick Kyrgios amid cocaine suspension

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has been issued a provisional suspension after testing positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, during a grass court event in Mallorca. Kyrgios faces a potential ban of up to four years, though the penalty could be reduced to three months if investigators determine the substance was used out of competition.

MLB veteran and current pastor Darryl Strawberry has voiced support for the athlete, criticizing the public reaction to the suspension. Drawing on his own history of substance abuse and multiple MLB suspensions, Strawberry emphasized the need for empathy and healing for those struggling with addiction. He stated that substance abuse is often an escape for those who are ‘broken on the inside’ and called for people to show grace rather than judgment.