A Summary Of Drug Testing In Major League Baseball

The policies and procedures for drug testing within the four major sport leagues are changing rapidly, due to the rise of players using illegal substances. Major League Baseball currently has the best drug-testing program of the major sport leagues. Many of the substances athletes are taking can only be detected through blood testing. Major League Baseball is the only league that has fully executed blood testing to detect and deter those whom are using, or wish to use, HGH and other banned substances. Not only has Major League Baseball applied blood testing at the elite level, it has also implemented it in Minor League Baseball, as well (http://sports.espn.go.com). The league has taken a dominant stance on “stamping” out all banned substances and the penalties for an athlete testing positive are the most severe of any

In Major League Baseball, numerous players have put up tremendous statistics and record breaking numbers. There are a great amount of players in the league that have done this naturally, however it is not uncommon to see star players get caught taking performance enhancing drugs or steroids. Steroid use in baseball has been an issue since the earliest days of the game, and can be seen very frequently in players today. Jose Canseco was a star hitter in the major leagues, who had admitted to steroid later in his career. Canseco once estimated that 85% of other players were also taking performance enhancing drugs. Though that estimate is not proven, there are still many players today that are taking these steroids, and it needs to remain an issue in the eyes of the MLB. Taking these drugs not only promotes the risk of significant side effects and health problems to the player consuming them, but it makes changes to the game itself as well. The way the game is being played has changed over time due to this issue, and players are receiving advantages that other players are not. Overall, these illegal drugs are unfair to other players in the game and simply are not safe, and should never become legal in the league.

Baseball is known as America’s pastime and is one of the most popular, respected sports on earth. Since the beginning of the sport, it seemingly advances with technology every year making faster and stronger players. The use of steroids became rampant and spread among players and has carried them away from the true history of the game they play. Controversy still today runs around the sport today about fines, punishments and record breaking. The past two decades of Major League Baseball have been tainted because of the use of performance enhancing drugs, also known as steroids, causing the loss of many fans and the true meaning of America’s favorite sport.

The use of illegal substances is rapidly increasing in the college sports due to the expansion of supplements used by athletes that are being banned. In a study done, athletes were asked if illicit drugs would negatively impact their performance. Majority of them responded “yes”, their main reasoning being; the effects of illicit drugs were both mental and physically damaging. Illicit drugs come in many forms, but the testing procedures are all the same for any substance. There is almost always a consequence with the use of prohibited substances. Drug testing is appropriate to help ensure the safety of student athletes while they participate in intercollegiate contests. (Krotee, M 555).

Drugs came around in baseball as soon as the first player got caught use steroids. Steroids were in the MLB banned in the early 1990s. Player did not get tested like they should so that is why more players were caught using steroids.

In 1990 Congress passed the Anabolic Steroids Control Act, but didn’t say how the offenders would be caught. “The next year MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent made it clear in a memo that this was very much relevant to baseball.”(Rymer) The memo read as follows: “The possession, sale or use of any illegal drug or controlled substance by Major League players and personnel is strictly prohibited. Major League players or personnel involved in the possession, sale or use of any illegal drug or controlled substance are subject to discipline by the Commissioner and risk permanent expulsion from the game… This prohibition applies to all illegal drugs and controlled substances, including steroids or prescription drugs for which the individual in possession of the drug does not have a prescription.”(ESPN) Every player who

Secondly, it sets the testing policy for every MLB player. It calls for one random test during each offseason, random testing for selected players, with no maximum number, and during season play (Spring Training through the Regular Season) all players will be tested randomly at unannounced times for steroid use. The number of tests and who gets tested for anabolic steroids is determined by the HPAC. The HPAC is made up four people, one attorney from the union, one attorney from the MLB, and two medical representatives selected by both sides. During the testing, players are asked to wash and dry their hands and urinate into three specimen cups. The player urinates and carries the sample to the processing table under supervision from the collector. When the results comeback anything will be considered positive if any substance identified is on the list of banned substances, a player refuses to take the test, or if a player attempts to substitute or change the specimen.

The purpose in constructing this report is to take a look and study the illegal steroid use in Major League Baseball, and possible ways it can be exempt from the game forever. Use of performance enhancing drugs is cheating and causes inequalities, in which new repercussions should be implemented. These new rules should include a zero tolerance level, records stripped and not being rewarded of their accomplishments; which is to include banishment from an admittance into the Hall of Fame. Furthermore, it causes major health concerns and could end a player’s career, along with mitigating health problems down the road. The total elimination of steroids in MLB (Major League Baseball) would make the atmosphere and fans appreciate the game as it

The abuse of steroids among players in Major League Baseball is corrupting the image of America's Pastime as well as endangering the health of those who use the illegal substances. The lack of testing and punishment for the use of illegal substances like steroids in the Major Leagues portrays a negative image to aspiring young athletes. They see their role models using steroids and becoming better athletes rather than seeing suspensions for the illegal behavior or the negative health effects.

Players are now tested randomly for performance-enhancing drugs. On January 10, 2013 MLB and the players union reached an agreement to add random in-season human growth hormone testing (Weber, 2014). A first failed test results in a 50 game suspension, a second is 100 games, and a third is a lifetime ban. This is real proof that the MLB truly realizes that this is a problem, because just 10 years ago they started to test the players. Ten years ago the penalty for testing positive was far less severe. For instance a player’s first offense of testing positive for performance enhancers was just a 10 day suspension that’s not even games its days, basically a slap on the wrist. The second offense of testing positive was a 30 day suspension. The third offense was a 60 day suspension, and finally the fourth failed drug test is a one year suspension (Weber, 2014). Many people criticize the testing program. They say that it is not accurate enough and very easy to dodge. Especially now with the emergence of (HGH) human growth hormone you can only get caught if you take your injection within two

The MLB has also had many changes to the consequences players would receive for getting caught using PED’s, again at the beginning consequences were quite lenient, and now are very strict. The consequences for getting caught ranged from counseling for a first offense to getting suspended for the entirety of the year for a fifth time offense, when testing was first installed in 2003. If a player repeated the use of the drug, the player could be suspended from anywhere between 15 days and a year, with a fine ranging from $10,000 to

Each Player shall be tested upon reporting to spring training. All Players will be selected for an additional unannounced urine specimen collection on a randomly selected date. Testing for drugs of abuse is not administered randomly, but on a basis of reasonable cause. If one of the Health Profession Advising Centers (HPAC) panel members has evidence that a player has used, possessed, or sold banned substances in the last 12 months, they call a conference and discuss the evidence with the other members. If a majority vote to test the suspected player is reached then testing will take place no more than 48 hours later. A test is deemed positive if: 1) A Player refuses or, without good cause, fails to take a test or refuses to cooperate with the testing process. 2) A Player attempts to substitute, dilute, mask or adulterate a specimen sample or in any other manner alter a test. 3) If the substance identified in the test results meets the levels in which the MLB has decided are too high. On January 10, 2013, MLB and the players union reached an agreement to add random, in-season human growth hormone and to a new test to reveal the use of

However the spotlight that steroids find themselves in are in professional sports, mainly Major League Baseball. Steroids have been an on-going issue with Major League Baseball. The MLB has been tainted in one way or another since the game began. However, now the game has been tainted with drugs that are giving some players an advantage over others. These players are also taking risks with drugs because they are constantly trying to attain a drug that does not get detected when they get drug tests. The MLB should outsource their drug testing policies to an independent organization like the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) to ensure that there are no conflicts of interest between players and the MLB. In 1994-95, the MLB suffered a strike that resulted in the cancellation of the post season. Afterwards, fans were deterred from the sport. So in 1998,

book that says 80 percent of baseball players use some kind of illegal drug. There are many other players who have admitted to abusing drugs to take away the pain involved while playing sports.

For the education of MLB drug protocols, the Minor League baseball requires all the athletes to complete an assessment provided by The National Center for Drug Free Sport. This assessment provides a certification of understanding and agreement of the MLB and MILB protocols. In addition to this assessment, the Detroit Tigers provides a pamphlet explaining all the regulations, disciplinary actions, appeals, level of confidentiality, and testing agreement. During this process, all new athletes receive information about common substance abuse and products that could cause a positive drug test. Moreover, it is indicated to the patient that he is responsible to provide their contact information to the Drug Free Sport organization in case of off-season testing since the entire drug testing in-season and off-season are random picks.