When it comes to drunk driving in Major League Soccer, they have made it very clear that they will not tolerate any type of substance abuse. Per the MLS constitution, members who are arrested with a DUI must go through and complete the league’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program, as well as sit out for 3 games before they can return to the field and play again. Cyle Larin, the former forward of the Orlando City Lions, had to go through these recovery steps in June of last year when he blew a .179, which is over twice the legal limit of .08 for blood alcohol content.
In an official statement put out by the Orlando City Soccer Club, they said “Orlando City SC takes great pride in the way it represents the Orlando community and expects all players, coaches and front office staff to uphold that standard at all times, both on and off the field. The Club is very disappointed in Cyle Larin’s actions that resulted in these charges and does not take this situation lightly. We are working with local authorities, Major League Soccer and Cyle to take appropriate action in line with league protocol.”
As the first-ever draft pick of the Orlando City Soccer Club, Larin was the lead scorer for the team the first three years in the MLS. He broke the record for most goals by a rookie, scoring 17 goals in 27 games and earning himself the 2015 Rookie of the Year Award. While Larin is very accomplished on the field, he claims to also be very accomplished off the field and explained that his DUI was “just a mistake” and that mistakes can happen. Larin was caught driving on the wrong side of the road at 5 am in Orlando after having a few too many drinks. He explained to the police officer that he was from Canada and that he didn’t realize that he had to drive on the other side of the road just moments before he blew the .179 BAC in the breathalyzer.
Major League Soccer does its best to try and keep DUIs and substance abuse to a minimum, but that doesn’t mean that drunk driving isn’t an issue in the rest of the world. With over 1.1 million drivers arrested for driving under the influence in 2014 alone, it is clear that it is a major problem in the USA. A1 Interlock has a plan to help lower that statistic with their ignition interlock devices. These devices will make someone unable to start their car unless they have blown underneath the legal BAC to prove they can drive safely. Learn more about how you can make our roads safer with A1 Interlock by visiting our website at a1interlock.com
A1 Interlock offers free personal breathalyzers, interlock devices and much more. Check out reviews about our ignition interlock devices and service. If you have any questions please call us at (385) 246-4179.