Steroids In Sports

[Russ Spence]

Senator John McCain said Wednesday if Major League Baseball doesn't adopt a more stringent drug testing policy, Congress may be forced to step in. McCain, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, spoke at a hearing on Wednesday and said because of baseball's relaxed drug-testing plan there is "a legitimacy problem" in the sport.

"As your athletes get bigger and stronger, the credibility of your product in the eyes of the public gets weaker," McCain (R-AZ) said. "I am hopeful that this hearing will be the first step toward clearing the cloud of suspicion that looms ominously over your sports."
Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig and union head Donald Fehr testified during the hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee. NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and union boss Gene Upshaw also testified, as did Terry Madden, Chief Executive Officer of the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

The NFL received praise from senators for its drug-testing policy. A typical penalty for a first violation of the league's anabolic steroids policy is a four-week suspension, costing the player 25 percent of his annual salary. In 1990, the NFL became the first league to test players for steroid use.

However, many senators, and even Madden, were quick to criticize Major League Baseball for its testing policy, ironed out in the 2002 collective bargaining agreement. Starting this season, a first positive test for steroid use would result in treatment. A second offense carries a 15-day suspension or fine of up to $10,000. A third offense is a 25-day suspension or up to a $25,000 fine and a fourth a 50-day suspension or a fine up to $50,000. A fifth positive test is either a one-year suspension or a fine of up to $100,000. All suspensions are without pay.

Major League Baseball, specifically Fehr, was criticized by senators, who said they were upset about baseball's policy. Under the guidelines, baseball players are subjected only to in-season testing and only one time. A positive test however could trigger more testing of that player.

"Major League Baseball doesn't test in the offseason. How can that possibly be? That's when the training goes on," said Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV). "Baseball players are tested only twice each year. That's easy to work around.

"I blame the union. The union over the years has been very destructive on this. They're not helpful. I blame management. I blame the administration of the league for not cracking down at what is such an obvious problem, which is an embarrassment to the United States, which is hurtful to fans all over the country."

Madden had some suggestions for baseball.

"They need to do year-round out of competition no-notice testing," Madden said. "They'd have to have significantly more serious sanctions. They'd have to be transparent announcing a ball player when he does become positive and they go through their adjudication procedures. They need to test from a complete list of prohibited substances."

McCain asked Selig and Fehr if both would be willing to adopt a comprehensive drug-testing policy like the one in the NFL. Selig was receptive to the idea, but Fehr skirted around the question when asked for a direct "yes" or "no" answer from McCain. Fehr did, however, say that provisions in the collective bargaining agreement call for periodic review.

"Under those, we're certainly willing to sit down and discuss any new ideas and to look at matters in light of new information," Fehr said. "I believe that the program we have instituted has had some affect."

McCain seemed to be hoping for a stronger commitment from Fehr.

"Your failure to commit to address this issue, straight on and immediately, will motivate this committee to search for legislative remedies," McCain said. "I can tell you and your players you represent, the status quo is not acceptable. We will have to act in some way unless the major league players association acts in a affirmative and rapid fashion. The integrity of the sport and the American people demand a certain level of adherence and standards, that are frankly not being met at this time."

Selig admitted there was a problem and the agreement that was signed between the owners and union in 2002 was a compromise, mostly to avert a work stoppage.

"We accepted less than we wanted because, in my judgment as the Commissioner, we had pushed the MLBPA as far as it would go without a strike and, equally important, the clubs, whatever their convictions, were profoundly concerned about the impact of another strike," Selig said in his testimony.

Selig noted he hopes to adopt the policy now present at the minor league level and apply it to players who are under major league contracts. Under the minor league policy, there is a year-round testing program and first-time offenders are hit with a 15-game suspension.

"This a problem that needs to be addressed for a myriad of reasons," Selig said. "There are health reasons. There are competitive issues. I'm very hopeful we can address the problem very expeditiously."

The steroids issue has developed into a huge topic this spring with fingers being pointed at a bunch of major league players.

According to a published report last week, slugger and New York players and were some of the professional athletes who received steroids that came from the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO). Four men were charged last month with distributing illegal drugs, including steroids and human growth hormones.

The hearings were the latest developments in a series of movements against steroids. Last week, House Judiciary Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R- Wisc.) speared an effort to curb the use of steroids in sports as the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 was introduced. The new legislation would update the list of illegal dangerous substances being marketed as performance enhancers. It would also increase the penalties for those who traffic the substances within 1,000 feet of a sports facility.

On a side note, according to a report published in Wednesday's New York Daily News, Fehr has been offered a three-year contract from the players worth about $2.5 million per year. Fehr has not had a multi-year pact since 1992.

 

[Russ Spence]

claims up to 40 percent of major leaguers use steroids and says amphetamines are readily available in baseball clubhouses.

"As of right now, I'd estimate 25 to 40 percent of all major leaguers are juiced. But that number's fast rising," Wells wrote in "Perfect I'm Not! Boomer on Beer, Brawls, Backaches and Baseball," an autobiography scheduled for release next month.
Wells also admits he was "half-drunk" and had a "raging, skull-rattling hangover" when he pitched his perfect game against Minnesota in May 1998, having stayed at the "Saturday Night Live" season-ending party until 5 a.m., eight hours before gametime.

A copy of the galleys of the book, written by Chris Kreski, was obtained by The Associated Press from publisher William Morrow.

"Down in the minors, where virtually every flat-broke, baloney-sandwich-eating Double-A prospect is chasing after the same, elusive, multimillion-dollar payday, the use of anabolic homer-helpers is flat-out booming," Wells wrote. "At just about 12 bucks per shot, those steroid vials must be seen as a really solid investment."

WELLS: Wild times in NYC
Long before his book began making headlines, sat down with FOXSports.com and former Best Damn Sports Show Period co-host John Kruk to talk a little hardball. It was during that conversation that he confessed to pitching his perfect game with a nasty hangover.


He writes that amphetamines are so commonplace that "stand in the middle of your clubhouse and walk 10 feet in any direction, chances are you'll find what you need."

"As a pitcher, I won't ever object to a sleepy-eyed middle infielder beaning up to help me win," Wells said. "That may not be the politically correct spin on the practice, but I really couldn't care less."

Rob Manfred, executive vice president of labor relations in the commissioner's office, declined comment on Wells' claims. Major leaguers are being tested for the first time this year for certain illegal steroids and drugs of abuse, but the testing has been criticized by some as not extensive enough to be effective.

The 39-year-old left-hander was not available for comment Thursday.

In the book, Wells alternately criticizes and praises , admits he's not friendly with teammate , says was angered by 's large salary and calls former teammate a "cuckoo-bird."

Wells says some major leaguers use Ritalin as a stimulant and says he used painkillers but backed off before they became addictive.

Wells, who didn't say whether he used steroids or amphetamines, became the third prominent player to say steroid use is widespread, following former MVPs Jose Canseco and Ken Caminiti.

Canseco and Caminiti both admitted last year that they used steroids. Canseco estimated up to 85 percent of major leaguers did, and Caminiti said half did before retracting his statement, saying he thought the percentage was far lower.

"A syringe full of 'roids can make it a whole lot easier for a major leaguer to feel confident about his game," Wells wrote. "They're easy to score. They're easy to use. They really do work."

Steroids, according to Wells, have changed the game.

"The '78 look like a high-school team when compared to today's players," he said. "The '86 , for all their cocky swaggering, hard-drinking machismo, look like pencil-necked pushovers. Even my '92 look like 98-pound weaklings. ... A lot of today's superstars are basically shaped like barrels with heads."

Last year, catcher also said use of amphetamines was common.

"Cheap and easy to find, these little buggers will open your eyes, and sharpen your focus and get your blood moving on demand, over and over again, right through a full 162-game season," Wells wrote. "A lot of guys will buy themselves a season-long stockpile at one time. We're talking about hundreds and hundreds of pills ... Alternate eye-openers include the gobbling of caffeine pills (sometimes by the fistful). Red Bull, Ripped Fuel and sometimes even Ritalin."

Ripped Fuel is a nutritional supplement that includes ephedra, which a Florida medical examiner linked to last week's death of Baltimore pitcher . Red Bull is an energy drink that has caffeine.

manager Joe Torre said nothing shocks him about Wells, even pitching a perfect game "half-drunk."

"Nothing surprises me with Boomer," Torre said. "He's quite a colorful character. As long as he can pitch, it's OK. You scratch your head sometimes and wonder how he did it. But then you just say, 'That's ."'

When he reported to spring training earlier this month, Wells said he deleted some controversial passages in the book and said other parts of the final version surprised him.

Wells said the ' decision to trade him to Toronto in February 1999 for Clemens surprised him at the time. "Derek Jeter and Scott Brosius have taken beanballs to the head from this guy and a huge percentage of this team hates Clemens' guts," Wells wrote.

"I haven't always agreed with his behavior on the field. Trust me, if I were , that broken bat would still be shoved up Roger's (butt)," Wells said of Clemens, adding: "I don't have a problem with . The man's a fantastic pitcher, easily the best right-hander of his generation."

Wells wrote of his cool relationship with Mussina: "The Moose and I have played on two squads now, and I have to admit, we don't always see eye to eye. We're not pals, we don't hang." Still, he selected for Mussina for his dream team.

Wells wrote that Pettitte, "normally as quiet and well mannered as a Sunday school teacher," was upset in 1997 when the signed Irabu to a $12.8 million, four-year deal. Pettitte, who made $700,000 at the time, had "a meltdown," according to Wells.

 

[Russ Spence]

Baseball owners heard a clear warning from former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell on Thursday.

Mitchell, who is investigating steroid use in the sport, said the chances of government involvement will "significantly increase" if they don't cooperate with him.
Speaking to owners on the final day of baseball's quarterly meetings, Mitchell said he intends to interview active players and raised the possibility that Congress or other government authorities could compel testimony.

"I believe it will be in your best interests, and the best interests of baseball, if I can report that I have received full cooperation from your organizations, and from others, in conducting this investigation," Mitchell said in remarks that were released to reporters.

Mitchell cited last week's Hall of Fame vote to underscore the importance of his investigation. Mark McGwire was picked on 23.5 percent of ballots - far below the necessary 75 percent needed for induction. The vote was viewed by many as the first referendum on how history will judge an age when bulked-up players came under suspicion of using performance-enhancing drugs. Baseball didn't ban steroids until after the 2002 season.

"If nothing else, the results of the Hall of Fame voting last week, and the reaction to it, offer fresh evidence that this issue will not just fade away," Mitchell said. "Whether you think it fair or not, whether you think it justified or not, Major League Baseball has a cloud over its head, and that cloud will not just go away."

Mitchell cannot compel testimony. He warned the clubs that Congress or other federal or state authorities which do have subpoena power could get involved.

"I believe that a report that is not credible and thorough will significantly increase the possibility of action by others, especially if it's the result of a lack of cooperation by the clubs, or by anyone else who is or has been involved with baseball," Mitchell said.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a series of hearings on steroids and pro sports in 2005 and 2006.

"The use of steroids in professional sports continues to be an issue the committee is interested in, and we are looking forward to learning more about the progress Senator Mitchell has made in his investigation," said Rep. Henry A. Waxman, the California Democrat who chairs the committee.

Keith Ausbrook, Republican general counsel for the committee, said he's almost certain Mitchell has not been in contact with the panel recently about this issue.

"We've certainly been very interested in his investigation and what the results are going to be," Ausbrook said. "If he's not getting anywhere, we'll certainly consider whether to re-engage in it."

The players' association declined comment, spokesman Greg Bouris said.

Mitchell did not speak to reporters after addressing owners. He was hired by commissioner Bud Selig last March following more than a year of allegations against Barry Bonds, McGwire and other stars. No timetable was set for Mitchell's report.

Bonds is under investigation by a federal grand jury as to whether he perjured himself when he testified in 2003 in the BALCO steroid distribution case that he hadn't knowingly taken any performance-enhancing drugs.

The San Francisco Giants are negotiating a contract with Bonds, who needs 22 home runs to surpass Hank Aaron's mark of 755. Speaking to reporters at a golf tournament in the Dominican Republic this week, Bonds declined to discuss ongoing negotiations with the Giants, or his reported positive test for amphetamines last year. Giants owner Peter Magowan declined to answer questions about Bonds.

Selig also spoke to the owners about Mitchell's investigation. Asked if he had urged the clubs to cooperate with Mitchell, Selig said, "Urge is probably not strong enough."

"Look, some clubs have been more cooperative than others, but at this stage, I'm not concerned about that," Selig said. "He will have cooperation."

Selig would not say which clubs are lagging in their cooperation. Mitchell acknowledged that teams aren't used to dealing with "large-scale document discovery," which can be time-consuming. But he said his investigation would move faster if clubs cooperated more quickly.

"Many have asked when my report will be completed," he said. "The pace of this investigation is dictated by the rate at which information is received."

Houston owner Drayton McLane said the owners weren't surprised by Mitchell's remarks.

"It's a process that's very complicated, and it's just going to take time to complete," McLane said. "The steroids issues continue to emerge, and the public wants to know. For some reason they want to know more about baseball on steroids than they do football or basketball. So it's certainly focused on this."

During the meeting, Selig also spoke about the free-agent market and singled out the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants, among others, for their spending, one official at the meeting said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the remarks during the session were not intended to be made public. Selig also mentioned the Toronto Blue Jays, the official said.

Selig wouldn't specify what he said to owners about the game's economics.

"We discussed some things, but we do that at every meeting," Selig said.

---

 

[Russ Spence]

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig responded to President Bush's strong statements in Tuesday night's State of the Union address, which was used partly to call for a ban of steroids. During his speech, Bush said that in order for children to "make right choices, they need good examples." The President continued with his message.

"Athletics play such an important role in our society, but, unfortunately, some in professional sports are not setting much of an example," Bush noted in his address. "The use of performance-enhancing drugs like steroids in baseball, football, and other sports is dangerous, and it sends the wrong message -- that there are shortcuts to accomplishment, and that performance is more important than character. So tonight I call on team owners, union representatives, coaches, and players to take the lead, to send the right signal, to get tough, and to get rid of steroids now."
There was a huge applause following Bush's remarks Tuesday night and on Wednesday, Selig responded.

"We wholeheartedly agree with and fully support President Bush's call to rid sports of the use of steroids and other illegal performance enhancing substances," Selig said. "While we at Major League Baseball believe that our new drug-testing program is a good first step, we recognize that continuing vigilance and evolution are necessary if we are to reach our goal of zero tolerance.

"In the minor leagues, where we have the ability to act unilaterally, we have a very effective drug-testing program that includes year-round testing for all performance enhancing substances and significant penalties. However, at the major league level, drug-testing is a mandatory topic of bargaining. Nonetheless, we will continue to work with the Major League Baseball Players' Association in an effort to enhance our program so it can be in compliance with the call of the President."

Among those in attendance at the President's speech were New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and forward Tamika Catchings of the WNBA's Indiana Fever. Both were honored for their roles in community service.

Major League Baseball will begin mandatory testing for steroids this coming season after it was determined that at least five percent of the players tested positive in 2003. The players were tested last year as part of a survey, under the current labor contract that the players and owners agreed to.

Earlier this winter, the United States Food and Drug Administration urged consumers to immediately stop buying and using dietary supplements containing ephedra and said it will ban the substance in the near future. Ephedra, which has been promoted as a weight-loss aid and energy booster to enhance sports performance, was tied to the death of Baltimore pitcher Steve Bechler last February.

The NBA, NFL, NCAA and Olympics all have policies on drug testing.

Five track and field athletes and four NFL players recently tested positive for THG, a designer steroid.

 

[Peerless]

fooking tards. They think it turns an average pro into an "elite". So far from the truth. Just another bloodsucker looking for a story.

 

[Russ Spence]

most dont have a clue about the health benifits only the negatives

 

[onaprwl]

Darn thoese guys, don't they realise that stuff isn't good for you. It only makes you get lumpy all over. Now take my advice, all you need is Special K mixed with chocolate milk and orange juice every morning.................GREAT RESULTS!!! It's all I ever take!

 

[pressurepros]

If anabolics are so bad.. where are all the bodies?

Athletes and BB'ers have been using them since the 40's. Other than the poster boy for the cause, Lyle Alzado and a maybe a couple others like Andreas Munzer where are the bodies? Even the deaths can be argued. If steroids grew brain tumors there would have been a massive surge in death rates due to this type of cancer. Abuse and bad genetics can make anything dangerous from alcohol to cheeseburgers.

Spectators want to see cartoon freaks on bodybuilding stages, see baseballs crushed into the upper stands, see wide receivers run faster and jump higher but then say "whoa, no, wait a minute, we didn't mean to go do steroids". Just the usual hypocrisy at its best.

 

[onaprwl]

I totally agree, could you imagine watching football with PeeWee Herman and his gang playing against Barney Fife and friends or how about pro wrestling, PeeWee the monkey spanker against Earkel, the high water kid. OH yeah, that would draw a croud!!!!!!!!