Kirkendall Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 NEW YORK (AP) -- Major league baseball has banned THG, the recently unmasked steroid at the center of the case against the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative. The health policy advisory committee of management and the players' association unanimously determined last Thursday that THG builds muscle mass and should be added to baseball's list of banned substances. Baseball's decision was revealed to The Associated Press on Wednesday by Rob Manfred, executive vice president for labor relations in the commissioner's office, and Gene Orza, the union's chief operating officer. The Food and Drug Administration ruled Oct. 28 that THG, which stands for tetrahydrogestrinone, is an illegal drug that lacks federal permission for sale in the United States. Because baseball and other sports did not know about THG before last October, drug testing was unable to detect it. Barry Bonds' personal trainer, Greg Anderson, was among four men indicted last month on charges of illegally supplying performance-enhancing drugs from BALCO. All four pleaded innocent. Bonds, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield were among the athletes called to testify before a grand jury. All have denied using illegal steroids. Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of the male hormone testosterone. Some are approved by FDA for prescription-only sale to treat certain diseases. Baseball commissioner Bud Selig told a Congressional committee last week that he hopes to have a tougher testing plan than the one called for in baseball's labor contract. The plan has drawn some criticism. Players with major league contracts are tested only twice in a one-week period each year, and penalties -- no suspension until the second offense -- are far weaker than those called for in Olympic sports. The day before the hearing, Selig sent a letter to the union asking to discuss the drug agreement. The players' association has not yet responded. Selig is powerless to act unilaterally because drug testing is covered by collective bargaining. While the major league baseball constitution gives Selig broad power to act in the ``best interests of baseball,'' in the labor contract he agreed the commissioner will take no action to ``negate rights of players.'' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 Well, that's really a joke...I mean if you look at what the NFL did...They tried getting players suspended for having it in their systems before it was "discovered"...Man, baseball and steroids is a joke....It just makes me sick...I mean baseball now has about as much legitimacy as professional bodybuilding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrishcovga Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 Maybe Brock Lesner should try out for Baseball as well as football.... NO ONE would ever suspect him of taking steroids would they..?? I can just see him up at the batters box with a bat in hand that looks like a toothpick compared to the rest of him, and Bud Selig saying...We've solved the steroid issue in MLB... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted March 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2004 Well, that's really a joke...I mean if you look at what the NFL did...They tried getting players suspended for having it in their systems before it was "discovered"...Man, baseball and steroids is a joke....It just makes me sick...I mean baseball now has about as much legitimacy as professional bodybuilding. As much as I agree, I think baseball is on the right track and that's most important. Selig is starting to take control by invoking his "best interest for baseball" clause that enables him total control of the sport. We'll see what happens, but I really think MLB is on the right track. At least I hope so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalszoneBilly Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 Well, that's really a joke...I mean if you look at what the NFL did...They tried getting players suspended for having it in their systems before it was "discovered"...Man, baseball and steroids is a joke....It just makes me sick...I mean baseball now has about as much legitimacy as professional bodybuilding.As much as I agree, I think baseball is on the right track and that's most important. Selig is starting to take control by invoking his "best interest for baseball" clause that enables him total control of the sport. We'll see what happens, but I really think MLB is on the right track. At least I hope so. Me too Josh, me too. I'm really not looking forward to baseball season for many reasons, the steroid problem is the least of those. I unfortunately see the Reds mired in last place in the NL Central, and Lindner still turning a profit at the expense of the teams success. We need a baseball lover as an owner, not a business man who couldn't hit a pitch if you underhanded it to him. Is it just me, or does it seem that Lindner could give a s**t how well the team does, as long as he makes a buck. If that's the case...and I think it is, then why doesn't he just sell the team like a piece of real estate. You've sat on it for a few years. Take your money, run, and sell it to someone who will build something on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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