Yesterday, the Congressional inquiry into doping in baseball paid attention to TUEs. Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE) give athletes with medical diagnoses, an exemption to use a drug on the MLB banned list to treat a medical condition.
The issue here was the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. Docs treat ADHD with 'stimulants' (although we object to that name) like Ritalin (methylphenidate) and Adderall (mixture of amphetamine salts). From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:
Amid discussion of steroids and human growth hormone, amid an atmosphere more tame than tempestuous, it was Rep. John Tierney, D-Mass., who caught everyone's attention when he asked why the number of major leaguers claiming "therapeutic-use exemptions" for Attention Deficit Disorder had mushroomed to 103 this past season from 28 in 2006.
To Tierney, the implication was clear: Players were getting around the ban on amphetamines by making ADD claims that allowed them to use drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall, stimulants better known as treatments for hyperactive kids.
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates 3 to 5 percent of children have ADHD, according to its website.
According to the MLB data, 1,354 players were subject to testing last year. That means 8.2 percent received permission to use the stimulants.
"That would make that almost eight times the normal adult usage in our population," Tierney said.
How, Tierney wanted to know, had baseball allowed this to happen?
Relax a bit. Baseball implemented the TUE in 2006, thus this was only the second year of the policy. Eight percent of MLB players treated for ADHD does not set off alarm bells in our book. The increase could be a greater understanding of the rule.
If the physicians prescribing the medications make accurate diagnosis, and provide a reasonable dose of medication, this does not represent a way to cheat within the rules. A therapeutic dose of methylphenidate will benefit concentration, and likely improve motor coordination somewhat; however displaying the symptoms of ADHD would put players at an disadvantage to other players. (unlike kids with ADHD where it is significant,the improvement in motor coordination would be minimal in a professional athlete)
If we support the idea of medical disabilities, then those disabilities should be treated. A fine line may be drawn between those who would correct medical problems: vision, ADHD, and legitimate endocrine problems v. those who abuse the treatments. The same medications to treat these conditions could be used as PEDs; however, a proper diagnosis and prescription would prevent the TUE rule gamed to 'cheat within the rules'.
There is a critical difference between treating a disease, and using a drug in a healthy athlete for a competitive advantage. If well documented, an athlete deserves treatment for a medical condition, even with a banned drug.
The ADHD/ritalin issue seems like an octopus ink cloud of distraction to the main event of growth hormones and roids. If ADHD/ritalin is an issue, fine - deal with it later. The anti-aging clinic, shady doctor and fitness freak distribution network and its greedy consumer base of athletes are hard enough to get hold of.
As for baseball, if the stupid fans want to watch PED using freaks whack a ball 600 ft to the annoying cadence of Chris Berman , let them. The prevalance of gigantic, PED using weirdos doesn't prevent a lot of Americans from watching wrestling. I doubt it will deter them from consuming "America's (boring) pasttime."
Posted by: Dallax Rymko | 01/16/2008 at 09:48
Dallax,
Are you a fan of any sport? I hope it's not the NFL. Please say it's not the NFL. Because I know you wouldn't want to look like the world's biggest hypocrite.
Posted by: William | 01/17/2008 at 01:00
I like the NFL. I like MLB. I like the NBA. I like the NCAA most of the time. I like the NHL. I like the Olympics.
Where is my hypocrisy? :-) (just kidding, please don't reveal it)
Posted by: GRG | 01/17/2008 at 14:14
Just saying, in general,
If you are no longer a baseball fan because of PEDs, don't you think it would be hypocritical to remain a football fan?
Posted by: Thomas Hauk | 01/23/2008 at 09:21