There's a stunning new scandal in the sports world Sunday, but this one is in the pro, not the college ranks.

Ryan Braun, the Milwaukee Brewers superstar, who won the National League's MVP award last month, has tested positive for steroid use.

He is facing a 50-game suspension, reports ESPN's Outside the Lines.

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A spokesman for Braun confirmed the positive test and issued a statement:

"There are highly unusual circumstances surrounding this case which will support Ryan's complete innocence and demonstrate there was absolutely no intentional violation of the program. While Ryan has impeccable character and no previous history, unfortunately, because of the process we have to maintain confidentiality and are not able to discuss it any further, but we are confident he will ultimately be exonerated."

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The 28-year-old Braun had to provide a urine sample for testing during the playoffs, and he was notified of the positive test sometime in late October -- about a month before he was named the National League's most valuable player.

Braun is considered one of the "faces" of pro baseball.  he is one of the highest-paid players and is signed to the Brewers until 2020.

Last Spring, when it was revealed that Alex Rodriguez had used steroids in the past, Braun was asked if he was surprised.

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"I don't know if I would say I was surprised. I feel like it was so rampant, so prevalent, in baseball during that time period that not much surprises me anymore," he told MLB.com. "If anything, I was surprised he got caught, that it came out this long after he supposedly did it."
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Braun is appealing the test results, an arbitration hearing will be held in January.

ESPN points out that no baseball player has ever successfully appealed a ruling about using performance enhancing drugs.

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UPDATE: Syracuse University announced Sunday night that it has fired Bernie Fine. A statement from the school said, "At the direction of Chancellor Cantor, Bernie Fine’s employment with Syracuse University has been terminated, effective immediately."

Bobby Davis, one of three men who had accused Bernie Fine of sexually abusing them as teenagers, secretly recorded a telephone conversation with the Syracuse University basketball coach's wife where she is heard admitting she knew what was going on!

The stunning audiotape was made public Sunday by ESPN.

Davis was also interviewed by the ESPN program, Outside the Lines, which explained that Davis recorded the conversation in 2002 after reporting his allegations to the Syracuse police, and getting nowhere.

"I know everything that went on, you know," Laurie Fine said on the call. "I know everything that went on with him ... Bernie has issues, maybe that he's not aware of, but he has issues ... And you trusted somebody you shouldn't have trusted."

The call was legally recorded, ESPN pointed out. Davis was in Utah at the time, Laurie Davis was in New York, and both are one party states -- meaning only one person needs to be aware of the recording.

"You know, he needs ... that male companionship that I can't give him, nor is he interested in me, and vice versa," Laurie Davis went on to say.

As RadarOnline.com previously reported, federal, state and local law enforcement converged on Fine's home outside Syracuse Friday night.

They removed everything from file cabinets to patio furniture and took hundreds of photographs while serving their search warrant.

Fine has been suspended by the university as the investigations continue.