Steroid Nation

Gene therapy -- myostatin -- Discovered once again

Ongoing research into gene therapies that purport to enhance muscular development, have concerned anti-doping authorities for years.  Such therapies, if successful, would radically alter the playing field of sport.  The haves (athletes who could afford the procedure, or who hijack it) would dominate the games over the half-nots.  Nonetheless medical researchers almost blindly push ahead (or push ahead for economic gain). 

Discover magazine jumps on the controversy with this post.  One commenter laments that holding up gene therapy because of doping cheats would slow down medical progress (although it never hurts to allow the ethics to catch up with the science).

A gene therapy treatment intended to reverse muscle weakness appears to restore muscle mass in monkeys, raising hopes that doctors may soon be able to treat this condition in humans with degenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy. Scientists injected a gene into the monkeys’ thighs that causes cells to produce human follistatin, which interferes with another compound called myostatin. Myostatin breaks down muscle, so in theory adding follistatin should encourage muscles to grow [Reuters].

Frankly medicine marches onward, not slowed by much even ethical concerns.  As medicine becomes 'corporate' one wonders if the 'customers' who demand doping protocols, and who can afford the costs won't be rewarded in the future with out-sized sports achievements.  Kinda like buying the World Series...or buying a gold medal.

Image is everything: Andre Agassi story points out star-power weakness in anti-doping fight

 Andre Agassi, cashing on on the world wide market for a juicy story, hits upon a weakness of the anti-doping fight: The ability of star power to overcome the rules. Where is Agassi's image now - as he says 'Image is Everything" -- when he reveals himself as a drug user and a liar to his sports authorities?

Agassi's new book reveals that he submitted a urine sample tainted with meth that should revealed to his suspension for a drug of abuse, not a PED.  However, Agasi lied about the meth, a lie which was bought by the tennis anti-doping establishment.

Stories abound about star power tainting the doping fight:

1.  Barry Bonds and other MLB stars appear to have been tipped off by someone with deep knowledge of MLB steroids testing

2.  Willy Voet's book -- Breaking the Chain -- documents the skill in the cycling stars to avoid doping tests in events such as the Tour de France.

3. Star Russian track athletes including world champion Yelena Soboleva were tipped off to doping tests, prior to the olympics.

One wonders the extent of the cheating based on star power throughout sports (and society in general).  Obviously the playing field is not equal.  Little guys are going to face more sanctions that the stars (generally speaking).  The truth of the corruption (which it is) often doesn't come out, as the stars reap the rewards.

Kinda like the man said about the NCAA...

Of course there's no guarantee the NCAA will step in and do the right thing in any of these cases. Tarkanian best summed up the NCAA's approach to justice 14 years ago, after a package from the Kentucky basketball office to the father of a recruit popped open and $10,000 fell out. 'The NCAA is so mad at Kentucky,' Tarkanian said, 'that it's going to put Cleveland State on probation for three more years.'" - by John Feinstein, Washington Post, "A March Into Madness," March 11, 2003.

Hungarian Olypic class wrestler stung in doping disqualification: Sándor Bárdosi stirs up a hornets nest with doping penalty

Newspapers report Hungarian wrestler Sándor Bárdosi-- once an Olympic wrestling medalist -- lost a recent medal in "Sumo wrestling" following treatment for a wasp sting.

Sumo wrestling world champion Sándor Bárdosi tested positive in a doping test at July's World Games in Taiwan, the National Sports Federation told MTI.

Organisers at the World Games have stripped Bárdosi of his gold medal and fined him €3,000. Former Olympic silver medalist Bárdosi claims that he had been given an injection to treat a wasp sting.

What would cause disqualification?  Usually a sting producing an allergic reaction would be treated with epinephrine, which should be quickly metabolized.  However, it could be that a physician injected prednisone to reduce swelling.

The next report talks about a soccer player with a similar problem,  If these athletes are being harassed for and epi pen, it is ridiculous.  Should the doctor delay treatment for an allergic anaphylactic  reaction before he receives clearance from a bureaucracy?

The organisers of the World Games have decided to strip the wrestler of his gold medal requires him to pay a fine of 3,000 euros, the Hungarian Sumo Federation said.

Bardosi denied the charge, saying that he had been treated for a wasp sting in Kaohsiung.

"The last test I had in Hungary was negative. Just before leaving for Taiwan, however, I was stung by a wasp. Suffering from hand pain, I went to the doctor who gave me an injection and medicine, enabling me to recover by the time of the World Games a week later. Concentrating on the competition, I forgot to mention the affair at the doping test. Anyway, I don't need any doping as I am able to outperform all my opponents," he said.

As a graeco-roman wrestler, Bardosi won a silver medal in the Sydney Olympics nine years ago.

In the Sumo World Games, he triumphed in the under-85 kg, lightweight category.

Italy's world champion soccer player Fabio Cannavaro had a similar wasp bite a few weeks ago. The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) dropped the charge but his club, Juventus, held out the prospect of some sanction as the player should have consulted with CONI before being treated for a wasp sting.

Keep the head down and inject 2 cc of nandrolone: Mark McGwire to be hitting coach at St. Louis

Once again proving that the MLB really at heart doesn't give a  damn about the steroid problem, St Louis Cardinals appear to ready to announce that hermit juicer Mark McGwire will return to the Redbirds as a hitting coach.  Really?  Hits of what...nandrolone. Need to keep the weight shifted back...try Winny.  Topping the ball...HGH.

McGwire - who could not tell the truth about his illicit steroid use to Congress -- brings exactly what teaching skill with him to the Cardinals?  LaRussa's implicit approval of PED use?

To the Biz of Baseball:

Twitter can be a fantastic tool for breaking news, and this may be one of those cases.

Brian McRae posted the following on Twitter, and then pulled it shortly after, but not before several re-tweeted the news:

My dad is out as Cards hitting coach (Hal McRae).....McGwire is in! (as in Mark)-fire it up boys/girls

ESPNewsService is backing the rumor on Twitter. The only tweet left standing by Brian McRae simply reads, "Good 5yr. run with the Redbirds," yet another reference to his father Hal's tenure with the Cardinals.

No word out at this point from the Cardinals, but don't think many aren't hanging wondering whether Mark McGwire moves out from the shadows to become the new hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals. Stay tuned.

McGwire has kept a low profile after tearfully testifying before Congress regarding possible steroid use during his career. He has fallen short of the required votes by the baseball writers for inclusion into the Hall of Fame.

The news of McGwire coming back the Cardinals may make some sense. Reports on Sunday have Tony La Russa returning as manager of the team. La Russa managed McGwire with both the Athletics and Cardinals.

Let's stoke up those Pujols is a juicer rumors again...

Female nigerian sprinter Amaka Ogoegbunam tests positive for steroids at Berlin world championships

A Nigerian hurdler reportedly tested positive for an anabolic steroid at the Berlin world championships this week.  To the AP:

Nigerian hurdler Amaka Ogoegbunam has tested positive for steroids and has been suspended for the rest of the world championships.

She is the second athlete to fail a drug test at the worlds following steeplechaser Jamal Chatbi of Morocco.

Ogoegbunam was disqualified from the semifinals of the 400-meter hurdles Tuesday. Track and field's governing body says Ogoegbunam tested positive for the anabolic steroid metenolone after the race.

The 19-year-old Nigerian also was to have run in the 1,600-meter relay.

'Greatest athlete of all time' -- Usain Bolt -- sets world record time of an 9.58 second 100M in Berlin

Jamaica's Usain Bolt once again lowered the world 100M record by a full 0.10 seconds from his 2008 Beijing Olympics mark to an astonishing 9.58 in the Berlin IAAF world championships yesterday.  Bolt's startling times ignited world controversies about the legitimacy of his mark.  However, controversy is all naysayers have at this point.  Bolt has never tested positive for PEDs, had never been caught in a buy, and has never admitted to illegal drug use.  Nonetheless, obliterating world marks in the 100M with astonishing regularity is such an incredible feat, doubters are working overtime.  (from the Telegraph)

That's what athletic miracles do today. They bring as much suspicion as awe, as much skepticism as joy. Yet, while Bolt was being hailed by the head of world athletics Lamine Diack as the greatest athlete of all time, the subject of all the frenzy, last seen being pursued by screaming fans down Jesse-Owens-Allee outside the stadium, just ignored it all.

A breakdown of the Bolt run goes like this:

It is the "you never know" bit which he knows tantalises us. Yesterday, the biomechanical analysts from the IAAF produced a statistical breakdown of the final which suggested that what we saw in Sunday was Bolt's Bob Beamon moment, a barrier-shattering, never-to-be repeated annihilation of the sport's blue riband record. But you never know...

Eleven hundredths of a second slashed off the mark in one hit was sprinting's equivalent of the moment in Mexico City in 1968 when long jumper Beamon decided to bypass the 28ft barrier altogether as he took the world record to 29ft 2½in with one leap.

But the IAAF's split times confirmed that Bolt's astounding improvement on the 9.69sec record he had set exactly a year earlier in Beijing was due almost entirely to the fact that this time he did not showboat over the last few of his 41½ strides as he had done in China.

He was actually slower over the first 20m than in Beijing (2.89sec to 2.87sec) but what made the vast difference was his lack of concentration as he covered the final 40m in Beijing in 3.37sec. On Sunday, in contrast, he covered the equivalent stretch in 3.27sec, a whole tenth of a second quicker. Between 60m and 80m, he topped 46kph (28.58mph).

There was one quick look right and a glance left towards the clock, so perhaps he could even have gone a fraction quicker but, realistically, there looks to be no section of the race where he can in future trim off more than the odd hundredth of a second at a time. He has just made those $100,000 (£60,700) world-record bonuses hellishly difficult to annex now.

Until proved otherwise, the Bolt record must be considered legitimate.  The athlete apparently has the neuro-muscular development to produce stride frequency times stride length to generate sprint speeds never achieved in recorded history at sanctioned track meets.

 All the logical arguments in the world about doping hold no merit if the athlete maintains clean testing.  Other factors come into play -- a better track surface, improved shoes, perfect conditions,  high quality competition -- to push these world records into new territory.

There was a Roger Maris to beat Babe Ruth's single season home run record.  There was a Mike Powell to surpass Bob Beamon's long jump record.  It appears the thrust of DNA and technology to lower or lengthen previous marks in performance.  Thus, it is not impossible to go where no man has gone before in history.  Just damn tough to do it twice.

1996 Olympic gold medal winner and pro wrestler Kurt Angle arrested with HGH

Once an Olympic gold medalist, wrestler Kurt Angle appears to have been caught with HGH.  Angle has a little run in with the steroid cops in the past (here, and here); he also defected from the WWE, apparently after he needed time to withdraw from painkillers.

 To WPXI:

Professional wrestler Kurt Angle was arrested in Robinson Township on Saturday morning.  According to a criminal complaint, his girlfriend had filed a protection from abuse order against Angle, which was served at his home on Saturday morning.

The woman reported to police that she was at a Starbucks on the internet, when she claims she saw Angle stalking her.  She called 911, and police pulled over Angle in his girlfriend's car.

According to the criminal complaint, Angle was driving on a suspended license. Police also found a capped syringe and two vials of "Hygetropin," otherwise known as HGH.

Angle told police he had a legal prescription for the drugs.

The charges against Angle include: driving while operating privilege is suspended, prohibited acts-possession, harassment and prohibited acts.  Angle is currently the World Champion in TNA Wrestling, and was scheduled to wrestle in a pay-per-view match in Orlando on Sunday night. TNA Wrestling did not return calls for comment.The girlfriend mentioned in the complaint is also a wrestler for TNA.

Angle wrestled legitimately at Clarion, then as mentioned won an Olympic gold medal.  Now it's all downhill for him.

New Jamaican track doping case: Stimulant detected before World Championships

More Jamaican controversy.  Apparently Jamaican track athletes tested positive for a stimulant, however information is murky.  (AP)  This is the problem with athletes from the Island: murky procedures that keep the world doubting the athletes.

The world athletics federation is still awaiting information on a ruling that cleared five Jamaican athletes of doping and a decision on their participation in the world championships is likely to come close to Saturday's opening.

"We are following the matter. We are not saying anything today," IAAF secretary general Pierre Weiss said at the federation's congress on Wednesday.

The IAAF would have liked to have dealt with the issue well ahead of their biennial championships and has been sharply critical of the way the Jamaicans have addressed the situation and the lack of urgency with which it has been transmitting information.

"It is an amazing situation we are facing," said IAAF council member Helmut Digel.

Jamaica's Anti-Doping Commission said Monday it will appeal a ruling that had cleared five Jamaicans after a disciplinary panel appointed by the island's sports minister found there wasn't enough evidence to prove substance abuse.

The runners had previously been identified as Yohan Blake, Sheri-Ann Brooks, Allodin Fothergill, Lansford Spence and Marvin Anderson.

They reportedly tested positive for the stimulant methylhexanamine. The disciplinary panel cleared Brooks last week and she is on the provisional list to compete in the 100 meters on Sunday.

The IAAF had hoped to receive information from the Jamaican federation right after Monday's ruling, and has a review panel ready to assess the case on short notice. As long as no information is forthcoming, it cannot tackle the issue.

Reds Bronson Arroyo unapologetically takes banned supplements: Wastes money

Cincy Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo says he takes MLB banned supplements, and brazenly awaits the consequences.  (USA Today)

Unless Arroyo is taking nasty stuff with honest to goodness 'roids, he is simply wasting his money.  Caffeine may benefit his performance some, but really taking unproven, untested supplements that promise everything is simply foolish.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo reaches into his locker, pulls down a clear cellophane bag and slowly opens it.

He shakes out the contents like a kid on Halloween night. There are different-colored pills, powders, liquids, proteins, caffeine concentrates and ginseng, products such as creatine, Triflex and xelR8 found at local vitamin stores. Most of the products have not been approved by Major League Baseball for use by players, Arroyo says. Some of the items have the potential to trigger a positive test under baseball's performance-enhancing drug policy. Arroyo takes them anyway.

"I have a lot of guys in (the locker room) who think I'm out of (my) mind because I'm taking a lot of things not on the (MLB-approved) list," Arroyo says. "I take 10 to 12 different things a day, and on the days I pitch, there's four more things. There's a caffeine drink I take from a company that (former teammate) Curt Schilling introduced me to in '05. I take some Korean ginseng and a few other proteins out there that are not certified. But I haven't failed any tests, so I figured I'm good."

News for Arroyo: You may not be crazy for all those supplements, but you are foolish.  Most are not worth a damn thing.  Sorry to bring science into superstition.

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leland says fans don't care about steroids

The Detroit Freep carried an interview with Tigers manager Jim Leland.

"I've always thought when something was confidential and sworn to be confidential I don't know how stuff like that comes out," Leyland said. "I don't condone steroids or growth hormone or anything else... For the most part, I don't think fans (care.) The people that probably care about it are the people that probably don't like baseball. So they really got something to (complain) about baseball. I don't think the fans care that much. Or maybe they do, I don't know."

The entire ordeal disturbs him.

"It's gotten to be boring for me," he said. "It's an ongoing story for the media, as far as I'm concerned. They're not going to let it alone. Now it's Papi, a month from now it will be someone else. I could care less about it. If David Ortiz said he was not on steroids, I believe him."

Hey, Leland, if managers like you -- and management, trainers, and doctors -- actually paid attention to the integrity of the game, you would not have the daily scandal that has turned your sport into the summer version of pro wrestling.  But that fact escapes your train of thought.

    "You get sick of it," he said. "To me it's like the nosy neighbor. Everybody knows there's been some     involved, so what's the big deal about it. Everybody knows there's a great program in place."

If the program is so great, Jim, then why have your biggest stars -- ARob, Bonds, Clemens, Ortiz, Rodriguez, etc. -- cheated the game, the other teams, and the fans?

Leland's hometown paper doesn't let the manager keep  his head in the sand:

Jim Leyland said Sunday that most people who care about the steroids issue probably don’t like baseball. Kind of harsh or is he spot-on?

Well to start with, he’s dead wrong.

I like baseball a lot. It’s my favorite sport, by far. And I care about the steroid issue. I’m pretty sure Bud Selig likes baseball (although he doesn’t act like it given his decisions sometimes) and I know he cares about the steroid issue. Albert Pujols likes baseball and he cares so much about the issue, he’ll tell anyone who will listen that he’s clean.

The Freep says Leland simply retreats to jockdom's no brain answer.  Obviously, the no brain answer has resulted in a taint so odoriferous, it stinks up 2 decades of baseball.

    Leyland used a classic jock-ocracy strategy. “You simply don’t get it.” When someone in sports is proven wrong, doesn’t have the answer or simply wants something to go away, he says, “you just don’t understand.

Dubai Shiekh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum bin a winny horse doper

The ruling shaikh of Dubei will serve a six month ban from horse racing following proceedings examining his role in horse doping.  Sheikh Mohammed's horse tested positive for some doping substance, which isn't named in the article below.  The Mrs. --  Princess Haya of Jordan -- was head of the horse regulatory agency.  (friendly looking fellow)

To the New York Times:

Dubai's ruler was given a six-month ban from long-distance horse racing after his horse tested positive for banned substances, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) said.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum's horse Tahhan ran in two endurance races in January and February and "in both events, the horse was ridden by Sheikh Mohammed ... who is the person responsible," said FEI in a statement on its website. He was also fined 4,500 Swiss francs (2,500 pounds).

Most endurance races are up to 160 km (100 miles) long.

In the statement, the Dubai ruler, who is also the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, said he had no knowledge of any illegal substances being used. He can appeal. Trainer Abdullah bin Huzaim was also fined and banned for a year after admitting to doping the horses. FEI said it had detected prohibited substances, a drug with calming and analgesic effects and a steroid.

Sheikh Mohammed's wife Princess Haya of Jordan, who presides over FEI, stepped aside in this case, Malina Gueorguiev, spokesperson for the FEI, told Reuters by telephone from Geneva.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of conglomerate Dubai World, one of the emirate's largest companies, had previously been suspended for six months and fined. He had said he was unaware of any doping.

The Sheikh's horse tested positive for two substances, one of which was Winny:

Sheikh Mohammed accepted that his horse, Tahhan, tested positive for guanabenz and steroid stanozolol, the FEI said on Monday. His wife, FEI president Princess Haya of Jordan, is leading a clean-sport campaign, and Sheikh Mohammed stood down from competing in April when the test results became known.

Rare NBA steroid-related suspension: Orlando Magic player Rashard Lewis reportedly out 10 games for drug policy violation (testosterone or DHEA)

The USA Today reports that Orland Magic forward Rashard Lewis sill sit 10 games in 2009-10 season due to testing positive for a banned substance.  It is believed the substance was 'testosterone' possibly due to DHEA in a nutritional supplement

According to the Orlando Magic's website, star forward Rashard Lewis (FSY) will be suspended without pay for the first 10 games of the 2009-10 season for testing positive for a banned substance the player said he unknowingly took.

The Orlando Sentinel, citing league sources, reports that substance is testosterone, which showed up from nutritional substances Lewis said he took not knowing they contained DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone). That is a chemical compound naturally occurring in the body but also found in over-the-counter supplements at nutritional stores.

Lewis released a statement, saying he took "full responsibility for the situation and accept the corresponding penalty."

He said toward the end of last season, "I took an over-the-counter supplement which at the time I did not realize included a substance banned by the NBA."

DHEA -- a testosterone precursor -- usually doesn't raise testosterone level enough to matter' however the drug can throw a positive into a urine test.

The NBA has been remarkably free of steroids and PEDs, either because the drugs have  not permeated the NBA culture,or because the steroid testing is weak.  This may be only the 4th or 5th steroids-related NBA suspension in history.

Extensive coverage of Boston Red Sox steroids scandal

The Boston Dirt Dogs blog has incredible coverage of the expanding BoSox steroids scandal.  The more they dig, the more doped dirt emerges.  (The link is to the general site, and this may be outdated soon).

Fans and writers think Ortiz may be a bigger fraud than Manny (where is that logic?), Johnny Damon speaks out, El Duke spouts off, The Red Sox clubhouse boys exude steroids....

This scandal needs to be either covered up better, or fully explained.  Now which way will the MLB and the MLBPA go?  (any bets?)

Are any championships out there untainted?  Remember the outrage when Congress looked at steroids in baseball?  OMG, just grandstanding.  Now it looks like massive sports fraud at the higest level.

Doping in track is alive and well: Five Brazilian track athletes named as drug cheats

A number of Brazilian track athletes will receive an early exit from the world championships in Germany, reported as doping suspects.  To the AP:

Brazilian officials say five athletes preparing for the upcoming world track and field championships in Germany have failed doping tests.

The Brazilian athletics confederation says Bruno Lins Tenorio de Barros, Jorge Celio da Rocha Sena, Josiane da Silva Tito, Luciana Franca and Lucimara Silvestre presented "adverse results" in out-of-competition tests conducted by the confederation on June 15.

The athletes, who were already in Germany for this month's competition, requested their B samples be tested and are returning to Brazil to present their defence.

Three of the five athletes were at the Beijing Olympics last year - Barros helped Brazil finish fourth in the 4x100 metre relay, Silvestre competed in the women's heptathlon and Tito was in the women's 4x400 relay.

A number of Beijing 2008 Olympians included in this group.  One would not expect them to have suddenly become dopers in the past year...if you catch our drift.

The photos of Franca and Tito appear a bit strange....androgen influence?

Red Sox fired 2 employees for steroids possibly linked to Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz

Links turned up in Boston that may be revealing about Manny Ramirez' steroid use, the AP reported`.

Johnny Damon said he recognized one of two Boston Red Sox security guards who were fired in September for alleged association with steroids, but he knew no more about them.

Police confiscated steroids from the car of Nicholas Alex Cyr, 27, in July 2008 during the guard's late-night return trip from a charity event hosted by Josh Beckett.

Cyr fingered fellow guard Jared Remy, the 30-year-old son of Red Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy, as the supplier. After an investigation by the team and Major League Baseball that the men claim was superficial, both were fired.

Damon, who spent the 2002-05 seasons in Boston, only recalled seeing Cyr.

Interesting that Damon said he was unaware of the steroid use outside of the locker room?  Huh?  Gamloing?  I am shocked gambling in Casablanca.

Both Cyr and Remy said they had close relationships with Manny Ramirez, while Remy said he talked steroids with a former personal assistant of Ortiz's. Ramirez served a 50-game suspension for violating MLB's drug policy earlier this season and both sluggers, according to a report Thursday, were to said to have used performance enhancers in 2003.

As was the case when Thursday's report was released, Damon wouldn't comment on the potential steroid usage by his former teammates. Any steroid use, he said, was "outside" of the locker room.

"That's what those guys decided to do on their time, I had too much other stuff to deal with," Damon said. "Play baseball and play with my kids."

"I was totally unaware of everything," he added.

Links to Manny:

Cyr and Remy, who have worked together since 2004, both said they told MLB they did not have direct knowledge of steroid use by the Red Sox. Remy denied that he gave Cyr the vial of Anadrol police found, but acknowledged he is a steroids user.

Cyr said he sometimes would shop for Ramirez in the slugger's car. Remy said he would sometimes serve as the lone guard for Ramirez's early-morning workouts at Fenway Park.

Senator John McCain wonders "Where did you go Joe DiMaggio" after recent Red Sox steroids scandal

A nation turns it's lonely eyes to you...yes you John McCain.

Senator John MCCain, the recent 2008 Republican candidate for POTUS comments on the MLB steroids revelations last week.  (Taragana)

Sen. John McCain is lamenting the latest report of a baseball player linked to performance-enhancing drugs.

Last week the players’ union confirmed that Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was among the 104 major leaguers who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003.

In response to the revelation, McCain sent a message on his Twitter account that read, “David Ortiz tested positive for steroids, ‘where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?’”

McCain says the situation in baseball makes him sick. Even more bothersome, he says, is the idea that someone in a laboratory somewhere is trying to develop a substance that tests can’t detect.

McCain has long been a critic of the MLB steroid policy.

The Arizona Republican spoke to CNN’s “State of the Union” for its Sunday broadcast.

Mikel Astarloza, 16th stage winner in the 2009 Tour de France, suspended for preliminary positive EPO test

As found at The Sports Network (here), the 2009 Tour de France, does snare a doping athlete, who could be considered a relatively elite rider.  Mikel Astarloza, who finished 11th in the 2009, and won the 16th stage, dropped a positive urine apparently containing EPO.

Mikel Astarloza, who finished 11th in the 2009 Tour de France, has been provisionally suspended after an "adverse analytical finding of recombinant EPO" was found in his urine sample in an out-of-competition test on June 26, the UCI announced Friday.

Astarloza, who won the 16th stage of the Tour on July 21, will be suspended for two years if his B sample also tests positive.

His only major cycling win was in 2003 in the Tour Down Under. He is currently a member of the team Euskaltel-Euskadi.

The Tour, won buy Alberto Contador (with Lance Armstrong 3rd) appeared to be enjoyed a relatively dope-free race this year.

New York Times writer Michael Schmidt has the dope on dopers: Exposes Ortiz, Ramirez, Sosa, and others

The huge David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez story breaking today was the work of Michael Schmidt of the New York Times.   Schmidt has recently penned stories on the juicing of Sammy Sosa, David Ortiz, and Manny Ramirez.  He appears to be on a  hot streak.  To Editor and Publisher:

Despite being only 25 and a New York Times reporter for less than two years, Michael S. Schmidt has already earned a spot as one of the paper's best sports investigators.

In June, he broke the story that slugger Sammy Sosa was on the infamous list of 100 baseball players to test positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003.

Today, he added two more names -- Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz -- to the list in a bombshell story that already has Boston Red Sox beat writers talking.

A former Times news clerk who first came to the paper in 2005, he freelanced for a year and returned in 2007 as an "intermediate" reporter. His beat: off-the-field news. Translated: steroids and other bad stuff.

"I had a duty to look into it," he says of his success in finding three of the biggest names on the list. "I had to at least put in the effort."

Schmidt set out with a plan to track down the 2003 list...here is one more excerpt, with the remiader on the web sire:

Schmidt says he increased his pursuit of the 2003 list after Sports Illustrated in February revealed that Alex Rodriguez was one of the names. "After that, people would always ask me 'when is the list going to come out?'" he recalls. "I never had a good answer. I started to realize there was a real  interest people had in this."

David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez allegedly both on 2003 MLB steroid/dope list: Taints 2004 World Series

If reports on the expanding list of offenders in the 2003 Baseball pilot doping/steroid study hold true, even more MLB history will need to be 'rewritten', asterisked, excised, or ignored.  Reports ( Bloomberg, UPI) today say both David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez made the 2003 special pilot study steroid list.

Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz were among 104 players testing positive in 2003 for performance-enhancing drugs, The New York Times said.

The information came from unnamed lawyers who spoke to the newspaper Wednesday.

The 2003 survey contained a condition that the results would remain  anonymous.

Ramirez and Ortiz were teammates with the Boston Red Sox when the tests were done the year Boston ended an 86-year streak in which it had not won a World Series.

Other players previously linked to the 2003 list, based on leaks, were Barry Bonds, Jason Grimsley

, Alex Rodriguez, David Segui and Sammy Sosa, with 97 names remaining still undisclosed.

Ramirez, now would appear to be a repeat offender.  Ortiz, the Big Papi of the Red Sox, appeared to rejuvenate his career with the Red Sox following rather undistinguished years toiling within the Twins organization.  Ortiz, who was suspected by many within the baseball community of bulking up to boost the numbers. 

            "I'm not talking about that anymore," Ortiz told the newspaper's Web site.             "I have no comment."

One wonders why the biggest stars in the game did not take head of the testing...Sosa, Bonds, Ortiz, Ramirez.  These were (operative word 'were') Cooperstown Hall of Fame shoe-ins, who are now reduced to drug cheats with good stats.

Ortiz and Ramirez led the Red Sox into the 2004 World Series, which now seems to be one more drug-infused charade.

2007 Giro d’Italia champion Danilo Di Luca drops positive urine for CERA EPO

The New York Times reports that 2007 Gyro de Italia champion Danilo Di Luco tested positive for CERA EPO during this year's race (surprise).

CERA EPO is Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor Activator (CERA) as form of Erythropoietin (EPO).  The kidney naturally produces the hormone EPO, which stimulates red blood cell proliferation.  CERA is a larger molecule that is not eliminated by the kidneys as easily as 'regular' EPO, t his making it a longer acting up-regulator of RBC production.

The attraction of doping athletes for CERA appears to be the thought that a new molecule would slip through the detection process...doping control....giving the athlete a PED boost.  Athletes will try to get by with cheating as long as they think the cheating is undetectable.

The Italian cyclist Danilo Di Luca, the 2007 Giro d’Italia champion, tested positive for the blood booster CERA twice at the Giro d’Italia in May, the International Cycling Union said in a statement on Wednesday.

Di Luca, the runner-up at the Giro, is the leader of the LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini team, a squad that was not invited to participate in the Tour de France. At the Giro, Di Luca finished 41 seconds behind Denis Menchov.

The cycling union said it provisionally suspended Di Luca, 33, after a Paris laboratory found traces of CERA in his blood.

“These adverse findings were a direct result of a targeted test program conducted on Mr. Di Luca using information from his biological passports blood profile, previous test results and his race schedule,” the cycling union said.

Neither of Di Luca’s backup blood samples has been tested for traces of CERA, an anemia-fighting substance that is a new generation of the drug EPO, which is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Both EPO and CERA stimulate bone marrow to produce more oxygen-carrying red blood cells, but CERA is longer lasting and requires fewer injections.

Antidoping rules say Di Luca has the right to have both samples retested in his presence or in the presence of a representative.

He will remain provisionally suspended until the Italian Cycling Federation holds a hearing to determine whether Di Luca had violated antidoping rules.

This year’s Tour, which ends Sunday in Paris, has not had any positive doping tests.

Ethics of pediatric sports doping

The Sports-Leader carries a short academic piece on the ethics of sports doping.  An excerpt is found below:

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a document in April 2005 on performance-enhancing substance use in sport (1). It inquired about many statements concerning the supposed anti-doping fight and how it may be successful.

The document disputes that children need to be taken into account for a more restrictive moral and ethical anti-doping structure to be effective and recognised that the adolescent group naturally feels indestructible and regularly disregards any implication that performance-enhancing substance use may create a health risk or hamper their suitability for sport (1). Also, adolescents are extremely anxious about their self-image (1)...

The motives for using these substances may be different but a mixture of the above reasons exists in why most athletes take performance-enhancing drugs (2). Doping can be seen as an easy alternative to hard training programmes by some adolescents because the rest of the competitors are in a setting of equal and fair play. However, it is through hard work and perseverance in sport that “the virtues of dedication, perseverance, endurance and self-discipline (4)” help build up an adolescent’s character

Reggie Jackson opines on steroid users in the baseball hall of fame: Keep 'em out

Reggie Jackson, a shirttail cousin of the embattled juicer Barry Bonds, give us his opinion on baseball 'roiders introduced into the Cooperstown Hall of Fame.

"...I am hoping that those guys that get caught don't get into the Hall of Fame."

There is plenty of wiggle room in Jackson's statement of make excuses for Cousin Barry.  However, it must gall the veterans to see the steroid-enhanced stats put up by the McGwires and Bonds of the recent baseball past.  To Bloomberg:

Reggie Jackson, a two-time World Series most valuable player, said there's no room in baseball's Hall of Fame for those who have used steroids.

"It bothers me," Jackson, 63, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. "A lot of Hall of  Famers are very offended by this. I am starting to get affected and I am hoping that those guys that get caught don't get into the Hall of Fame." Jackson, who played for the New York Yankees from 1977 to 1981 and now serves as a special adviser to the team, also said he misses the old Yankee Stadium. The Yankees moved from the ballpark that was home to 26 World Series championship teams, including two of his own, to their new venue across the street.

"I never really saw the new stadium when they were building it," Jackson said. "I hung out at the old one. I had a difficult time leaving it. The last day I went out with a couple of friends and we walked around the stadium and I sat in the center field block with the fans and others and got a little teary-eyed."

Jackson, known as Mr. October after making history at the stadium as the only Major League Baseball player to hit three home runs in a World Series game, said he bought his old locker and the Yankee Stadium sign that was on top of the ballpark.

Interesting that Jackson has reversed  his stance on 'roids to a degree...to the degree that he supported Cousin Barry in the past.

Minnesota Vikings Williams's trump NFL drug policies; Other leagues come to NFL's defense

As noted over the weekend, a local Minnesota judge blocked the 2008 drug suspension of the two Minnesota Viking lineman Kevin and Pat Williams.  (To the AP)

A judge has blocked NFL plans to suspend Minnesota Vikings players Kevin Williams and Pat Williams.

Hennepin County District Judge Gary Larson on Thursday granted the players' motion for a temporary restraining order. That keeps the NFL from suspending them until their case is decided.

That may be a while. The judge also scheduled a hearing for July 22 on whether he should put state court proceedings on hold while a federal appeals court considers other issues in the case.

The defensive tackles tested positive last summer for a banned diuretic that can mask the presence of steroids, though they've never been accused of taking steroids.

The NFL had intended to enforce the Williamses' four-game suspensions at the start of the upcoming season.

Other professional leagues have now supported the NFL in attempting to discipline the Viking duo:

U.S. Olympic officials, Major League Baseball and other professional sports organizations are getting into the NFL's fight with two Minnesota Vikings linemen who were suspended for violating the league's anti-doping policy.

MLB, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey Association asked Monday for permission to file paperwork in federal court in support of the NFL, which wants to suspend the players for four games. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency filed a similar motion on its own.

Kevin Williams and Pat Williams, who are not related, have never been accused of taking steroids. The two linemen tested positive last summer for a banned diuretic, bumetanide, that can mask the presence of steroids. They took the weight-loss supplement StarCaps, which contained the diuretic but wasn't listed on the label.

The leagues contend their own drug testing programs would be affected if the linemen are allowed to fight their four-game suspensions in state court. USADA argues uniform rules are needed "to ensure a level playing field."

Jeremy Mayfield may be fighting speed, on and off the track

Top NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield was suspended form competition in early May.  However NASCAR releases almost no information on drug suspensions.  Mayfield, rumored to be positive for amphetamine fires back today.  Story at ABC News:

Suspended Sprint Cup driver Jeremy Mayfield has broken his silence, vehemently denying allegations of drug use and adamantly defending himself from recent NASCAR claims in an exclusive interview with ESPN.

It is Mayfield's first extensive public response since being suspended indefinitely from NASCAR competition on May 9, when NASCAR said he failed a random drug test the previous week in Richmond, Va. NASCAR later confirmed an ESPN The Magazine report that Mayfield had tested positive for methamphetamine.

A federal appeals court issued an injunction last week that lifted Mayfield's indefinite suspension. NASCAR appealed that ruling on Monday. Mayfield has not returned to the track.

Mayfield feels he was not given due process; he's mad and he's not taking it anymore:

"Every time there's an action [by NASCAR], there's going to be a reaction. From here on out," Mayfield said in a phone interview Wednesday from his home in Statesville, N.C. "I try to be nice. I try to be respectful to them. I try to do everything right. But I'm not getting drug through the mud no more."

Mayfield repeated his stance that he never took methamphetamine. He also said he no longer consumes alcohol, largely due to the fact, he said, his father was a "bad alcoholic." Asked if he had ever taken illegal drugs, Mayfield responded, "What are you calling illegal? I've drank beer. I don't drink beer at all anymore. I don't drink. Don't do anything."

He said he feels as though NASCAR is attempting to make an example of him.

"I feel like that's exactly what they thought I was going to be. Exactly. To a 'T,'" Mayfield said. "Now, all the sudden, Brian's [France, NASCAR's chairman] coming back saying, 'Well, we have positive tests all the time.' Well, if it's a zero-tolerance policy, how in the hell do you have people testing positive all the time?

"Then he comes back and says there's a list. I forget what big word he used -- an exhaustive list of drugs. Everybody in the world has asked him why the drivers don't have a list. What did he say? Now there's a list -- an exhaustive list. Right? Where's it at?

"It's bull----, man, and somebody needs to stand up and see through this. There's experts out everywhere saying the same thing I'm [saying]."

Mayfield points out inadequacy in the NASCAR drug testing policy:

To drive home his point, Mayfield cited quotes from a pair of drug experts, Dr. Gary Wadler of the World Anti-Doping Agency and Travis Tygart of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Both have recently questioned NASCAR's policy of not releasing its list of banned substances.

"I sit here listening to Brian [France] on a daily basis, defending their policy and talk about how thorough, accurate and fair it is. Then you turn right around and look at what, say, like, Dr. [Gary] Wadler, for example. Quote: 'Their policy is way, way behind those of other sports.'

Should be interesting to see where this challenge goes; NASCAR has not  been challenged successfully over time.

UK 800M champ Jemma Simpson looking for redemption, and weighing in on doping

After suffering stress fractures in her foot, British 800M runner Jemma Simpson is looking to get back on track during the UK's upcoming national trials.  A article in the Times documents her comeback. We look at her doping attitudes.

In Simpson's event -- the 800M -- Russians form a major component of the competition, and a major part of the doping contingent.  Her opinion:

It may be this optimism that informs her opinions about doping. The 1,500 metres, which is likely to be her ultimate destination, has been destroyed by Russian drug cheats. The IAAF, the world governing body, is awaiting the Court of Arbitration for Sport to decide whether to indulge Russia’s cynicism and backdate bans to free the cheats to compete at the World Championships in Berlin next month. With 29 Russians banned for doping, isn’t that depressing?

“No, it’s good,” Simpson said. “The more they catch, the better. You talk about it with other runners and you have suspicions, but you can’t let it affect you. It’s not a level playing field, but the more positive tests there are, the more likely we are to have a clean Games in 2012. You need the stigma. Japan never seems to have a problem and I think that’s probably because it would be considered a terrible thing there. That’s the way it has to be.”

What?  A country with honor?  Heresy.  And how about Dwain Chambers?

But what of Britain, given Dwain Chambers is vying for a place in the Great Britain team today? “I honestly don’t think British athletes are doping,” Simpson said. “Our controls are so strict now. It’s not the culture.”

She avoited that questions quite well...

Tour de France 2009 now detects Synacthene (ACTH) in dope testing

One of the stealth drugs to enhance cycling performance over the years , Synacthene (or Synacthen) will be detectable in the 2009 Tour de France.  Synacthene is ACTH or Adreno-cortical stimulating hormone.  The drug would stimulate the adrenal grand to pour out cortisol, a natural steroidal hormonal with multiple physiological effects.

Anecdotal evidence from cyclists using the drug say if used correctly the substance decreased last race inflammation, and improves performance; however street talk alos says that if used inappropriately the drug can decrease cycling efficiency.  Who knows..there ar no scientific studies of the agent.  To SBS:

Anti-doping authorities have perfected a new test capable of detecting the drug Synacthene and it is currently being used by doping controllers at the Tour de France, sources have told AFP.

The substance, a synthetic hormone also known as ACTH, has up to now proved virtually impossible to detect and evidence has been limited to allegations made by ex-users.

The new test has been perfected by specialists at the Anti-Doping Laboratory in Cologne and was tried out experimentally at German cycling events last year before being approved by the International Cycling Union (UCI) as part of its new battery of anti-doping measures.

"It is based on urine samples but can also be applied to blood samples," said Professor Mario Thevis, who developed the system.

"We prefer, however, urine because there are larger volumes and more samples available."

"Of course, Synacthene was considered relevant and important, but blood testing was not as frequent at that time and the first method was based on blood specimens," Prof Thevis said.

"Moreover, the collection and storage conditions were critical: nowadays everything is harmonised."

Experts say Synacthene has typically been used in association with anabolic steroids and testosterone, the cocktail of drugs being injected directly into a racer's body to boost resistance to pain and to enhance performance.

According to anti-doping expert Dr Jean-Pierre de Modenard, there is evidence of the drug having being used for many years - not just in cycling, but also in football.

Dr. de Modenard hopes the discovery will help fill one of the remaining gaps in knowledge relating to illegal susbtances.

"To state that only one percent of controls turn up positive is hypocritical, and this has been the perfect example of what happens when there is a lack of data," he said.

More Beijing Olympians tested positive for PEDs; Report says 1500M champ Rashid Tamzi included

The AP carries a story today of positive doping tests in the rerun of samples taken from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  Apparently a rerun for CERA EPO netted a few more PED cheats, including the men's 1500M gold medal winner. These results ave been hinted at for weeks. (Let's Run link too)

An official familiar with the results tells The Associated Press that backup tests came back positive for 1,500-meter champion Rashid Ramzi and four others accused of doping at the Beijing Olympics.

The athletes tested positive for the blood-boosting drug CERA in retests of their "A" samples earlier this year, with the results announced in April.

The official told the AP on Wednesday that the "B" samples have been analyzed and confirmed the positive findings. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the results have not been announced.

The athletes face being stripped of results and medals.

The others are Italian cyclist Davide Rebellin, German cyclist Stefan Schumacher, Croatian runner Vanja Perisic and Greek walker Athanasia Tsoumeleka.

CERA EPO (the newer large molecule EPO) tends to be abused by endurance athletes.

Although this will not make as large a splash as Ben Johnson's Winny positive, an Olympic 1500 gold medalist positive for PED cheating is every bit as disgusting.

German speedskater on thin ice: Claudia Pechstein begins PED suspension

Olympic speed-skater Claudia Pechstein starts a two year ban based on blood doping, devined from her blood indices.  Considering Germany's awful past with doping, it is entirely  disconcerting for an elite German athlete to dope.  (AP)

Olympic speed-skating great Claudia Pechstein of Germany was banned for two years because of blood doping Friday and will miss the 2010 Vancouver Games.

The International Skating Union said Pechstein's blood profile indicated abnormal changes in a series of tests, in particular after the World Allround Championships in February. The governing body ruled after a two-day hearing.

The 37-year-old skater is a five-time Olympic gold medalist. She is banned until Feb. 9, 2011 and can appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Pechstein was stripped of her results in the 500-meter and 3,000-meter races Feb. 7 at the World Allround event, where she finished fifth and fourth, respectively.

Pechstein had hoped to compete in Vancouver for her sixth straight Winter Games. She won her first gold medal in the 5,000 in Lillehammer in 1994, and won at the same distance in Nagano in 1998 and Salt Lake City in 2002. She also won the 3,000 in Salt Lake City and was part of  Germany's winning team in the pursuit in Turin in 2006.

She also won two Olympic silvers and two bronze medals, including a third-place finish in the 5,000 at the 1992 Albertville Games, along with six world championship titles.

Manny Ramirez sneaks back from steroid suspension

As arguably baseball's biggest steroid suspension, Manny Ramirez accomplished an uneventful return to the LA Dodgers lineup on this 4th of July, 2009.  Appears that steroid and PED abuse is so prevalent that a large segment of the population just either doesn't care about cheating the game, or worse even encourages the bloating of players.  From Reuters:

Manny Ramirez made a low key return to the Los Angeles Dodgers line-up after serving a 50-game ban for a doping offense on Friday, the slugger going 0-for-3 during his team's 6-3 win over the San Diego Padres.

Playing for the first time since the suspension was handed out on May 7 for violating the Major League Baseball drug policy, Ramirez brought the Padres home Petco Park to its feet during his first at-bat, a first-inning walk.

The right-hander also grounded out twice and popped out before being replaced in left field by Juan Pierre in the bottom of the sixth.

"It was great. I was nervous at first but it was fine," Ramirez told reporters.

So many athletes abused PEDs and AASs that Ramirez should not become the poster boy for 'roiders; on the other hand it is amazing that baseball gave up a premier player...something the sport could not effect for Sosa, McGwire, and Bonds.

"It was great. I was nervous at first but it was fine," Ramirez told reporters.

"I want to thank my fans. I think they drove from (Los Angeles) just to watch me play and it was unbelievable. This team can do a lot of great things without me. I'm just trying to follow those guys."

With a large contingent of Dodger supporters making their way to the sold-out stadium of 42,217 fans, Ramirez was welcomed warmly for the most part with the applause drowning out the boos.

His much anticipated return included a pre-game news conference in which he apologized to fans and team mates but refused to answer questions about the banned substances that evoked his suspension.

"I don't want to get into (that)," Ramirez told reporters.

"I don't want to talk about my record. I just want to talk about the game. It was tough but it's over.

"I'm moving on."

Manny should move on, but baseball shouldn't.

2003 Major League Baseball steroids list: fact or fiction

Apparently a list of 104 players testing positive during the 2003 MLB preliminary steroids testing, surfaced on the net yesterday.  There is no way of knowing the authenticity of such a compilation of names.  It could be fantasy, or it could be a leak -- which did not find outlet through a credible source.

If such a list were available, then why did Senator Mitchell not discover the document during his well-financed, thorough investigation?

Links are found here (Rotoworld) and here (The Big Lead)

Play the Game 2009

We are in Coventry England to present papers at WADA's Play the Game Conference.  We apologize for the lapse in coverage of the steroid and doping scene; however we can tell you that Prime Minster Gordon Brown is in a bit of a predicament.

Catch up with things later.

Greg Lemond is on the podium today...should be interesting.

Tampa newspaper reports on teen bodybuilding

Tampa Bay Online carries a piece on teen bodybuilding, which at face value should present an activity for health, self-esteem, and socialization.  Obviously there is some risk, as with sports in general.

One risk is the exposure to PEDs and steroids.  Among the problems delimited in the story were the troubles with adolescent steroid use.

...Camona, of the American Council of Exercise, said supplements don't have a lasting effect, so competitors looking for an edge could turn to banned performance enhancers such as steroids.

In some bodybuilding circles, steroids are the ultimate answer. In May, a national professional bodybuilding competition in Belgium was abruptly canceled when every contestant withdrew to avoid dealing with the arrival of random drug testers. Two weeks ago, Polk County sheriff's investigators seized an enormous steroid stash. Among the items confiscated: amateur bodybuilding trophies won by husband-and-wife defendants.

Baker said it's much more likely to hear talk about steroids in bodybuilding than other high school sports. "Bodybuilding is that, probably, times 10," he said.

Another risk to teens, would be a morbid interest in physique, leading to body dysmorphia.

That doesn't surprise Ennis, who said he considered shutting down the Mr. and Miss Falcon event at Leto in the mid-1990s because he suspected students were using steroids. Instead, he said, he redirected the bodybuilding contest and made it less competitive.

It's about looks

Entering a high school bodybuilding contest is no easy decision. Female students have to be willing to go onstage in no more than a bikini or sports bra and micro shorts; boys wear compression shorts or less. They perform a routine in front of their peers, flexing all the major muscles, from abs to the gluteus maximus.

Samantha Hensley, Durant's Miss Cougar 2008, thought she had the nerve even though she weighed just more than 100 pounds. She loved working out before the competition and seeing her muscles develop.

But when Hensley hit the stage, some in the audience booed. Text messages and jeers from other students after the win were ruthless, as were the comments she discovered on Facebook, where someone posted an unflattering picture from the event and called her anorexic.

"I don't know if it was worth it. It's so hard when everyone's so mean," said Hensley, now a student at Florida Southern College. She attended this year's competition, and was disappointed to again hear boos targeting some contestants.

No matter the sponsors' healthful intentions, the high school bodybuilding contests "amp up" the pressure for teens to focus on body image, said USF's Professor Thompson.

"You can pitch this as fitness, but what they are being judged on is not their heart rate. It's about how they look," said Thompson, co-editor of "The Muscular Ideal" (American Psychological Association, 2007).

Doping suspension hits University of Calgory Dinos linebacker Duncan McLean

A University of Calgary Dinos football player will be suspended for doping the next two seasons.  That's right, the Dinos are officially dopers.

University of Calgary Dinos football player has been removed from the team and deemed ineligible for play in Canadian Interuniversity Sport for two years after a positive doping test. Linebacker Duncan McLean tested positive for Oxymetholone metabolites, an anabolic steroid on the 2009 World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List, following an out-of-competition urine test March 20.

McLean completed his third-year with the Dinos in 2008, playing in seven regular season and two playoff games.

"The University of Calgary is unequivocally opposed to the use of banned substances by our student-athletes," said Dinos Director of Athletics Kevin Boyles in a Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport press release May 27. "We have a zero-tolerance policy both at the U of C and in CIS. We are fully supportive of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program and hope that this unfortunate situation sends a strong message throughout the league."

Drug and doping testing varies by sport in the CIS. Because of cost, the CIS focuses their resources where there's strong concern there will be doping. Hockey and football players are tested more than other athletes. Football players are commonly tested five or six times a year, Boyles told the Gauntlet.

All CIS athletes can be tested 365 days a year, any day, both in season and out of competition, and up to 18 months after they finish their CIS career. Testing is done randomly and via a sample of players.

McLean's violation ends his CIS career. He will be suspended for his two remaining years of eligibility, but will be allowed to continue pursuing his degree at the U of C, Boyles said.

"We're always concerned and this just reminds us we need to continue to be very diligent with our education process," he added. "We're stepping up our efforts with providing our athletes with tested and screened supplement alternatives that we know are clean and that we know they can take. ... We need to put those efforts in to make sure it doesn't happen again. But at the end of the day, each individual athlete is in control of what they put into their bodies, you just can't prevent it from happening if they make that bad decision."

Dude took Anadrol, which caused the positive.

Lest you berate the Dinos football program, they have had 3 players drafted by the CFL.

Summary of recent Texas steroid bust

For more complete coverage of the large Texas steroid bust last week, and much more comprehensive than we can offer, go to this site --- Mesomorphis.

Operation Farmacia de Juicy Phruit is the code name for the major steroid bust in Houston led by the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Department involving the arrest of 73 defendants. The “largest narcotics operation in the history of Fort Bend County” primarily involved the arrest of personal trainers, their clients, bodybuilders, a professional bodybuilder and a gym owner in the Houston area. Many of the arrests only involved steroid possession. The steroid network was characterized by Sheriff Milton Wright as a “loose knit” network of individuals involved in fitness/bodybuilding who distributed steroids through “word of mouth”. The total amount of steroids sold over a period of about six years was estimated to have been $643,924 (”Authorities round up drug suspects,” May 27).

California physician Ramon Scruggs pleads guilty

The US District Attorney received some PR, and California steroids doctor Ramon Scruggs copped some pleas it was announced yesterday.  As readers recall, Scruggs was a major supplier of steroids and PEDs to professional athletes, and apparently normal people too.  To the Imperial Valley News:

United States Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Anthony D. Williams announced that Dr. Ramon Scruggs pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of conspiracy to illegally distribute anabolic steroids and illegally smuggle human growth hormone into the United States, and one count of money laundering, in violation.

Dr. Scruggs, 61, of Tustin, California, was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 6, 2008.  He was charged with conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, specifically, the illegal distribution of anabolic steroids and the illegal smuggling of human growth hormone into the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371; the distribution of anabolic steroids, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841; misbranding drugs held for sale with intent to defraud and mislead, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 331(k); conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956; and money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(2)(A).  Under the plea agreement, Dr. Scruggs is pleading to the counts charging him with conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids and to bring human growth hormone into the United States and one count of money laundering.

In pleading guilty, Dr. Scruggs admitted that between 2000 and 2003, he distributed anabolic steroids and human growth hormone (“HGH”) to individuals in a manner outside the usual course of professional practice while operating his medical practice at New Hope Health Center in Costa Mesa, California.  Dr. Scruggs further admitted that he knew that such distributions were not for a legitimate medical purpose, and that they were instead for non-legitimate purposes,  including performance enhancement.

Dr. Scruggs admitted that he illegally distributed between 250 to 1,000 10cc vials of anabolic steroids.  He further admitted that on or about May 17, 2003, he illegally distributed the anabolic steroid testosterone to a person in Santa Clara County, and that he caused this distribution of anabolic steroids without a medically adequate examination.

Dr. Scruggs further admitted that he asked others to assist him in the illegal distribution of steroids.  On March 11, 2003, an individual under the authority of Dr. Scruggs wire-transferred $3,605 from a bank account under Dr. Scrugg’s control at that time, Bank of America Account #02020-01935, from San Francisco, California,  to the People’s Republic of China.  The purpose of this transfer was to make a payment for HGH Dr. Scruggs had prescribed for patients without a medically adequate reason or a medically recognized need.

So the Scruggs book appears closed.  Scruggs supplied dope to athletes like Troy Glaus.  Although no one would condone Glaus's actions given the widespread use of PEDs, Glaus might have thought he was cautious going to visit a doctor who apperaed to use PEDs in his practice.  In this case, the doctor is more at fault than the patient...and  problaby liable to a lawsuit too.

Danica Patrick gets caught in typical thinking" "It aint cheating unless you get caught"

How many times have we heard it?  It ain't a foul unless the ref blows the whistle.  It ain't cheating unless you get caught.  It ain't illegal unless you get arrested.  Danica Patrick knows it.

Not to advocate a world of obsessive rules, bureaucratic entanglements, and snitches, but really can we ever expect to make a dent (to coin a phrase) in cheating and drug-cheating if this attitude permeates the world?  Don't hold your breath waiting for change.  To the Seattle Times:

The CEO of U.S. Anti-Doping Agency isn't amused by driver's comment in Sports Illustrated: IndyCar driver Danica Patrick insists she was joking when she said using performance-enhancing drugs would only be cheating if she got caught.

Not so funny, said the leader of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

Travis Tygart, USADA chief executive officer, said Patrick's comments, printed in Sports Illustrated, were "totally irresponsible."

"In one interview, she undercut what millions of parents try their best to teach their kids every day in this country, that winners never cheat and cheaters never win," Tygart said Monday.

In an interview with Dan Patrick published in Sports Illustrated, Danica Patrick was asked if she could take a performance-enhancing drug and not get caught, would she do it if it allowed her to win the Indianapolis 500.

"Well, then it's not cheating, is it? If nobody finds out?" she said.

Dan Patrick responded: "So you would do it?"

Danica's answer: "Yeah, it would be like finding a gray area. In motor sports, we work in the gray areas a lot. You're trying to find where the holes are in the rule book."

Danica Patrick, 27, later said she was joking and apologized in the event her comments came across differently.

"It was a bad joke," she said in an interview that appeared in USA Today.

Right, Danica, a joke.  Like we believe that.

Note this Patrick add.

Big Papi -- David Ortiz -- enmeshed in steroid controversy

Pity David Ortiz, Big Poppy of the Boston Red Sox, crowd pleaser, slugger magnificent, and humble star appears welled in a nasty slump that has led to talk and suspicion about steroids.

Ortiz has never admitted steroids or other PEDs.  Ortiz's name never showed up on an Internet list of PED buyers.  Ortiz has not even incurred the wrath of Jose Canseco.

Because Poppy shows no pop in his bat this year, at age 33 Ortiz is hitting .185. The talk in 2009 is that Poppy came down from steroids.

Of course there is no real evidence Ortiz is suffering steroid withdraw.  Does anyone know what a year after steroid withdrawal looks like?  We don't.  To the Eagle-Tribune:

It was about 1:20 p.m. yesterday when Red Sox "slugger" David Ortiz stepped into the batter's box.

Five barbers and five customers, all Dominican men, watched intently on the big screen TV in the back of the busy Flow Barber Shop on Lawrence Street.

Flow Barber Show was a place I expected the last bastion of believers.

I was wrong.

From 2003 through 2008, would have brought silence to Flow's.

But only one of the barbers, Cristian Felipe, cared to stop cutting and look up at the TV.

"It's sad, really sad," said Felipe, through an interpreter, shaking his head. "He's always been the best."

So what's wrong?

What's wrong with Ortiz?

There were almost as many theories as there were men at Flow's.

"He might be all done," said barber Christian Flores. "I'm just glad they moved him out of the third spot (in the lineup). He can't hit. And the Red Sox need a great hitter in that spot."

Felipe says Ortiz hasn't looked the same since Manny Ramirez was traded last July.

"People can say Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay are great hitters, and they are, but they're not Manny Ramirez," said Felipe. "Manny was the best protection Ortiz ever had. He's one of the best hitters ever. Ortiz just hasn't seemed the same."

The steroids rumor — could he have been taking them and stopped? — was also tossed out there. That brought an interesting response.

"I wouldn't doubt that for a second," said Tejada. "I honestly believe about 80 percent of the Dominicans that play in the major leagues probably have tried steroids. In our country, they are easy to get. If you have money to pay for them, you can go to a drug store or a doctor and get them.

"Our country has a lot of poor people and we aren't as educated when it comes to steroids and that other stuff. I know people that have taken steroids. It's different here. Maybe he is off them now and maybe that's the problem? You don't see guys drop off the way he did."

Tejada said the pressure of playing for the Red Sox and being one of the most beloved athletes in the Dominican Republic has become too much.

"I was in the D.R. when Manny was traded and people there jumped ship and traded in their Red Sox caps for Dodgers caps," said Tejada. "Ortiz is really the only Dominican left on the Red Sox and the country depends on him. I know he feels that pressure."

Carlos Nunez, who stopped in for a lunch time haircut, said Ortiz needs to be treated like every other player, Dominican or not.

Nunez said, "If you're not going to produce, you're not going to play. And he's not producing. I would bench him. And if he doesn't hit, I'd find someone else."

Other explanations than steroid withdrawal.  However, those whisper are not likley to be silenced soon.

Busted steroid dealer in Florida says he supplied Washington Capitals and Nationals players

A drug peddler in Florida says he supplied steroids to professional athletes including Washington Capitals and Washington Nationals players.  What might be significant would be a connection to the Caps and steroid use in the NHL.  Never hear much about PEDs in the NHL.

Original report here. To the Washington Times:

Law enforcement officials in Lakeland, Fla., on Tuesday arrested two people on charges of steroid possession who claim they sold the illegal substances to players on the Washington Nationals and Washington Capitals teams.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said officers arrested Richard and Sandra Thomas on 10 counts of steroid possession with intent to distribute, 10 counts of importing the drugs and one count of maintaining a dwelling for drug sales.

Judd said Thomas bragged about being one of the largest sellers of steroids in Florida, obtaining the drugs from suppliers all over the world. In making the arrests, the Sheriff's Department seized several loaded weapons, including an AR-15 assault rifle.

Thomas did not name specific players but mentioned the Capitals and Nationals by name in specific interviews, Judd said.

"Richard Thomas told Sheriff's narcotics detectives when he was asked if he had sold steroids to professional athletes, 'Name the sport - if they played it, I sold it,''" Judd said in a statement Wednesday morning. "Then Richard Thomas went further and specifically mentioned two  professional sports teams from the Washington D.C. area whose players he had sold steroids to - the DC Nationals baseball team, and the Washington Capitals hockey team. While he stated to detectives that he sold steroids to professional athletes on those teams, he did not mention any specific players' names."

Judd said that Polk County detectives have yet to uncover any evidence to support Thomas' claims that but that an investigation is ongoing.

Now besieged by problems, Autrian cyclist Bernhard Kohl crashes career

Once close to the top of cycling world, Austrian cyclist Bernhard Kohl retired from the sport, apparently eschewing the dope-for-wins philosophy in pro cycling.  Kohl is currently mired in a professional,personal, and legal quagmire of doping, and doping allegations.

Reflecting on this event, one cannot but help to think about the twisted culture of pro cycling.  Ostensibly based on an activity that promotes health and fitness, all too often pro cycling promotes drug-cheating, dishonesty, and death from doping drugs like EPO.  Kohl apparently tired of this nonsense, calling his career kaput.

It might be easy to drawn down on Kohl and individual athletes.  Much of the disdain may be merited because no one should absolve these dopers of responsibility.  However the system of management, doctors, trainers, personal managers that promotes doping should also be highly implicated.  The athletes (in Europe) often are punished while the doctors behind the dopers simple get rich.  From the Examiner:

Bernhard Kohl of Austria, the disgraced former rider for the former Gerolsteiner team, has retired from cycling and said Monday he will not return to the sport after his doping-related suspension ends.

"I don't want to continue leading a double life which is based on lies," Kojhl said at a press conference in Vienna, Austria.

Kohl originally finished third overall in the 2008 Tour de France, 73 seconds behind race winner Carlos Sastre. But Kohl, 27, tested positive for the EPO derivative CERA during the Tour de France and later confessed to having used illegal doping products and methods for most of his career. He was given a two-year suspension.

Kohl's dismissal from the Tour improved riders below him in the overall standings one position, including American Christian Vande Velde from fifth to fourth.

"Without doping there is no equal opportunity in the top international field," Kohl said. "This is absolutely the end. I have voluntarily doped – in a system in which you can't win without doping. Talent, training and iron discipline just aren't enough at some point. Doping becomes the rule. A clean sport is unfortunately an exception."

Kohl said that he would now dedicate himself to doping prevention, by speaking on the subject and organizing cycling camps.

MLB fan opinion: High salaries are more problematic for baseball than steroids

The American Chronicle carries a piece on baseball, and the problems fans perceive.  Apparently salaries -- which are set by supply and demand -- are perceived are more problematic than steroid-cheats.

I was watching Mike & Mike in the Morning on ESPN 2 today (March 2009), when they discussed an interesting survey conducted with baseball fans. The question: What is the one thing that is most responsible bringing Major League Baseball down? Both Mikes thought the majority would say high ticket prices, but this was only 23%.

Even the steroids abuse was only 22%. The answer that received 51% was the high salaries being paid to baseball players. Interesting is it not? Despite all the media exposure of big name ball players exposed as hypocrites and liars about their steroid use. Despite high ticket prices directly affecting their family economics. Exorbitant salaries are what tick fans off the most.

Perhaps this should not be such a surprise. After all, exorbitant salaries and bonuses have been getting even more media attention than steroids as of late. The public is quickly losing their taste for those being paid ridiculously high salaries and bonuses. We see so many examples of pay far exceeding the value that any one person could offer. If you are the owner of a business, then I say that this is an entirely different matter, but if you are an employee (and even a CEO is an employee), of a publicly help corporation, there should be a fiduciary responsibility to the shareholders for reasonable wages.

One argument for high CEO pay is that they are being paid according to their peers. If you do not pay, they will leave and move on. The self serving argument has produced a situation in the USA where a CEO makes over 400 times the earnings of the average worker. The next highest country is 29 times the average worker. The boards of directors that are supposed to oversee companies are composed of CEOs. Why wouldn't they participate in the escalation of salaries and bonuses?

If you argue that the business increases and they deserve these extravagant amounts, I would argue the businesses might be charging too much. If we cut baseball player's salaries then this money flows back to the owners. We then put pressure on the owners to reduce the price of attending a ball game. If we cut executive pay, then shareholders, employees and customers should all benefit.

As a nation, we need to make better judgments as to when enough is enough. Why is it that we so envy power, money and fame? Where has it gotten us? Why are we so concerned about what we have rather than who we are as a human being? What would our daily life be like if we were all more concerned with being good people rather than rich people? All we have to do is establish a mindset of sharing the wealth rather than stealing the wealth.

Interesting comment.  We noted the fan survey which rates salaries a problem.  On one hand, salaries are determined by the market o supply and demand.  Ticket prices too.  This is what baseball fans will pay.

On the other hand the high compensation drives the cheating to a degree.

Korean baseball players juice too: Ma Hae-Yeong

A top Korean professional baseball player leaked the juice: Korean pro ballers 'roid up too.  Mae Hae-Yeong's new book on his time in the Koren leagues reveals some juice, which has caused quite a stir.  To Donga.com

Xports’ commentator Ma Hae-yeong, who once played for the Lotte Giants, unleashed harsh criticism yesterday through his newly published memoirs, “The Original Character of Baseball (Those Who Have the Future).”

The slugger made his debut for Lotte in 1995. After being traded to the Samsung Lions in 2001, the Kia Tigers in 2004, and the LG Twins in 2006, Ma returned to Lotte and retired last year.

He has a career hitting average of .294, 1,609 hits, 260 homeruns, and 1,003 runs scored.

In his memoirs, Ma said around 10 pro players in Korea have taken steroids, mostly foreigners, but that certain Korean players were asked to take banned substances by the foreign players.

“Out of curiosity, certain Korean players took banned substances for a while. The number of Korean players who did is under 10 and most of them have retired. I cannot name them since I don’t want to injure their honor,” he said.

“When I was demoted to second string, I almost yielded to the lure of banned substances. But baseball players no longer took banned drugs. I hope you don’t exaggerate my statement. I wrote this book to prevent young players from falling into a trap.”

The Koreon also comments on cheating by giving away signals (?A-Rod)

Ma also said certain players exchange signs with players on opposing teams, usually friends. “When my friends on the opposing team were about to be benched and asked me for my team’s signs, I couldn’t reject the requests. But these kinds of events happened only after the results were determined,” he said.

Like America's MLB, the Korean organizations were quick to react:

The Korea Baseball Organization and the pro league’s eight teams were quick to hit back at Ma’s accusations.

The league’s director of operations Lee Sang-il said, “We introduced drug testing in 2007 in a first for a professional sports league in Korea. Ma’s claim on banned drugs has significantly damaged the reputation of Korea’s professional baseball league.”

The league conducted two dope tests last year and will conduct three this year. All foreign players are subject to drug testing from this year.

Ma’s criticism of the Giants as “a miser” also angered the club. Team President Lee Sang-gu said, “Ma was misinformed. For example, we couldn’t sign Choo Shin-soo (Cleveland Indians) and Baek Cha-seung (San Diego Padres) since they kept asking for more money.”

Other critics say Ma’s memoirs could cause misunderstanding. A source from one team said, “When certain players suddenly gained weight, we suspected possible use of banned drugs. But we found no evidence. It was rash of Ma to write a book based on his suspicions.”

Steroids, the universal language.

Catch me if you can: Did world class cyclists -- including Bernhard Kohl and Michael Rasmussen -- engage in doping conspiracy?

It's one thing to run afoul of the press and the fans using PEDs as a drug-cheat as we saw with Manny Ramirez.  Manny lost a few million dollars, and lost some face with the fans and the Hall of Fame voters.  However, it is quite another thing to be charged in a criminal prosecution.

World class cyclists -- elite competitors  --  Bernhard Kohl and Michael Rasmussen appear to be targets of Austrian prosecutors as part of an international doping conspiracy.  To Monsters and Critics:

Vienna prosecutors said Monday that they had started criminal proceedings against cyclists Bernhard Kohl from Austria and Denmark's Michael Rasmussen, as well as Austrian Nordic skier Christian Hoffman, for allegedly running a blood doping operation.

The three are suspected of having invested in a blood centrifuge which they not only used for themselves but also made available to other athletes, Austrian news agency APA reported.

Having just watched "Catch Me if You Can", the video with Leonardo DeCaprio and Tom Hanks, we don't think we would want to see the inside of a European prison (or any prison for that matter).

The third 'co-conspirator -- Christian Hoffman -- is no slouch as a gold medalist in skiing.

Hoffmann, who won a gold medal in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, denied the accusations.

'That's absolute nonsense, that's a smear campaign against me,' the Austrian daily Die Presse quoted him in its Monday edition, after his name was the first to be confirmed by prosecutors on Sunday.

Kohl has publicly admitted having used blood doping and having bought the machine together with others. He has been stripped of his third place in the 2008 Tour de France for using the blood booster CERA.

The cyclist's former manager Stefan Matschiner was conditionally released on May 7 after several weeks of detention, as he was heavily implicated by Kohl. The centrifuge was found in Matschiner's apartment in Budapest.

Rasmussen is currently banned for lying about his whereabouts at the 2007 Tour in connection with doping tests.

Blood doping is mainly used in endurance sports. Athletes are injected blood that has been enriched with performance-enhancing red blood cells.

Sounds like these boys were very heavily involved in the doping process.

In the USA, doping obviously carries much more rewards than risks.  If being a drug-cheat were risky would athletes like A-Rod and Manny dope?  There are few legal consequences.  The law trouble that dopers run into tend to occur when their egos run into a grand jury, ala Barry Bonds.  If Bonds had been truthful (according to legal charges) he might have been exposed as a juicer or he might not have been embarrassed.  Embarrassed or not, Bonds would never have seen the inside of a courtroom as defendant; the USA's legal machine looks the other way for athletes. No sports fraud, no conspiracy, etc. -- although there are exceptions (Marion Jones).

However, sounds like Kohl and Rasmussen are in a bit of trouble...btw, someone tell Rasmussen (photo left) to lift some weights...

Ex-San Jose State Spartan, ex-American Gladiator reveals steroid secrets

Former San Jose Spartan football player, and American Gladiator regular discusses steroid and PED use in an insightful manner.  Dan Clark discusses steroid use in his new book -- the effects and the side effects.  The problem is that Clark talks from a position of success: he made himself with the use of steroids.   How many sad tales of embezzlers in jail stops future embezzlers from stealing money?  Few.  The lure of success and fortune appears to be too strong.  To the San Jose Mercury-News:

Dan Clark can tell you all the things that steroids did for him.

They helped get him a football scholarship to San Jose State, where he was a defensive standout and media guide cover boy. They allowed him to suit up briefly with the Los Angeles Rams during the 1987 NFL strike. They were the secret ingredient that made him a Spandex-wearing star of the "American Gladiators" television show two decades ago.

But that's not all steroids did.

They nearly caused a heart attack, left him with shrunken testicles, made him urinate blood and resulted in surgery to remove excess tissue from his breasts. There were unprovoked explosions of anger, too, yet Clark couldn't give up the drugs because of the addictive feeling of power they provided.

That's the story of self-inflicted hell Clark tells now in his unflinchingly raw autobiography, "Gladiator: A True Story of 'Roids, Rage, and Redemption."

In an era when the shadow of steroids has darkened modern sport and made fans increasingly skeptical of what they see, Clark wants the book to be a catalyst for a more realistic discussion about performance-enhancing drugs. Steroids work, Clark says flatly. But they exact a terrible price.

"That's the conversation we're not having with young adults," Clark, the father of a 21-year-old son, said. "You know how teenagers are. You tell them: 'Don't you do this' and it's only going to make them do it more. So you have to tell them that you do get bigger, but you pay for those gains with a pound of flesh. It's a Faustian bargain."

The current spate of self-revealing books regarding steroid abuse will amount to nothing...and almost never have changed anyone's mind.  The irony of Clark's friend at San Jose State -- baseball all-star Ken Caminiti -- dying at 41 of drug abuse obviously means nothing to the current crop of drug cheats like A-Rod and Manny.  Deleterious outcomes of steroid abusers like Caminiti and Jose Canseco and CHris Benoit will stop no one from drug-cheating.  Did Ivan Boesky's financial demise stop Bernie Madoff?

At SJSU he was a well-liked big man on campus and fraternity brother to rising baseball star Ken Caminiti. (Clark is well aware of the terrible irony in how Caminiti, who would go on to win the National League MVP award, later would admit his own steroid use before dying, in 2004, of a heart attack at age 41.)

Thanks to Jay over at the Wizard of Odds for the story.

Chicago Sun Times writer Rick Telander points out Ryan Theriot epitimizes MLB steroid problems (but is NOT under steroid suspicion)

The Chicago Cub's shortstop Ryan Theroit hit one home run last year.  Sure the winds were always blowing in against him, and the mound was elevated only when he batted, but one home run is not impressive.  The slugger has banged out 5 this May alone.  What is this...Brady Anderson revisited?

The Chicago Sun-Times columnist Rick Telander points out that the Theriot power outburst now comes under suspicion in 2009 MLB times.  In time past, fans might conclude Theriot spent more time working out over the winter, or matured as a hitter this year.  No more: the juice is in.

Sorry, Ryan Theriot, you're a suspect. Forget Manny Ramirez and Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi and Mark McGwire and all the other hulking, accused performance-enhancing drug users.

You, sir, all 5-11, 175 pounds of you, are doing devious things.

To wit, Theriot -- no disrespect, but if he's 5-11, I'm 6-12 -- hit two home runs Wednesday night at Wrigley Field against the Padres, giving him five times more home runs in 33 games this year than he hit all last season.

Brrinnnng! Eee -- ah! Eee-ah! Zzzt! Zzzzt!

That rings the steroid/HGH/ whatever-designer-drug-is-in bell, doesn't it?

Well, yes, ''The Riot'' hit only one dinger in 2008 and only five so far this year.

But if he were, say, Manny Ramirez (37 home runs in 2008), he would have just hit his 185th homer of 2009.

Really, Theriot is not a serious suspect for juicing.  Apparently his bat found a sweet spot or two.  However, this is 2009 and post-Clemens, post-Bonds, post-A-rod, Post-Manny, post-McGwire...it goes on and on and on.

But this is what baseball has wrought.

This is what we tried to tell Bud Selig and Donald Fehr and all the head-in-the-sand executive clowns for years and years would happen if Major League Baseball and its union left athletes to their own devices, acting as though crazy numbers came about just because eating and lifting had become trendy...

  What's the old saying -- you reap what you sow?

When you plant cheating, Major League Baseball, cynicism will be your crop.

Telander's correct.  Once the slippery slope of enhanced achievement is breached, then it is a long slide down.  Speaking of enhancement,where is Ms. California when you need some positive enhancement?  Or Brady Anderson for that matter?

Justin Gatlin speaks about track and about steroids..a walk through someone's reality

Let's Run anchors a section on Justin Gatlin talking about track and roids.  Gatlin's recent interview, found here, meanders around a number of subjects, none of which include responsibility for Gatlin's positive testosterone test.

What was your immediate reaction when you found out the "A" sample was positive?

Shock. You’ve heard of somebody saying they were so in shock they fell out of their chair? That’s what really happened. I was in my house in my office, I was on the computer. I got the call and I remember breaking down and crying right there.

How long were you upset?

I was upset for almost a straight week. I was trying to get everything in order, trying to figure out why this is happening to me and if this is true. I remember breaking down in public at some points. This was my life. I feel like I’m a victim to the situation.

Worst moment of your life?

Worst moment of my life...

What do you feel bitter about?

A lot of misquotes from the press. Nike not standing up and saying anything. I fell they rode the fence and they still ride the fence until this day. I had a great rapport with Nike past a business relationship. I felt that when everything happened they kind of put themselves back into the crowd, slunk into the shadows. They suspended me while they fired Trevor and fired Chris Whetstine. That was their way of saying, ‘hey, we’re gonna hold this guy. And we’re gonna jump back on the bandwagon and if anything bad happens, we’ll just let him go’. Instead of saying ‘Justin, we believe in you, you know what the contract is, this is what it is.’

I was very upset with the sport about a lot of things. When everything was going good, everyone was patting me on the back. When things started going bad, everyone was shaking their finger in my face saying, see I told ya.

A lot of blame goes to Chris Whetstine and Trevor Graham as well. Obviously, they were there to be my inner circle and protect me. You discover a lot of things about different people. I found out Chris Whetstine could not get a credential to the (2004) Olympics because he had a criminal record.

Chris was more of a renaissance masseuse. He understood biomechanics, alignment of your body, muscle therapy, trigger points, how to stretch you, acupuncture. This guy had the total package.

When you have someone like that who has those kind of credentials to understand the body wholly, that eliminates you from working with three other masseuses or chiropractors. Though Nike wouldn’t do anything to hurt any of its athletes, if they’re going to pay this guy they knew he had some kind of record. That’s when I felt really upset. They put this guy on the payroll and they have got to do a background check on everybody you’re paying.

Gatlin appparently continues to blame his masseuse and Trevor Graham with sabotague.  In fact it was a conspiracy..somneone or oragnization was out to get him.

Do you thing it will ever come out how you tested positive?

I don’t know.

Do you think you should be looking into this more yourself?

I’ve been doing that from day one. I feel like (rappers) Biggie (Smalls) and Tupac (Shakur, both who were murdered in the late 1990s). Maybe I’ll never find my killer. That’s how things are.

Come on, man, do you really think people buy that you have no idea of PED use?  The referrals to Smalls and Shakur are unbelievable.

Roger Clemens: Over and out...legal and literary

Roger Clemens makes the news again.  Apparently he cannot stand Manny and A-Rod stealing the headlines.

Roger: Out (US AG)

The United State Attorney General Eric Holder, all busy with torture and such, is calling himself recused from the Roger Clemens investigation going on in DC with the FBI. Apparently the Rocket showed Mr. Holder how to throw a backdoor slider.  From Reuters:

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has removed himself from the criminal probe into whether baseball pitching great Roger Clemens lied to Congress about steroids, a Justice Department spokesman said on Thursday.

The FBI began the investigation more than a year ago after Clemens denied in testimony before a congressional committee that he used performance-enhancing steroids. His former trainer testified Clemens had used steroids and human growth hormone.

Department spokesman Matt Miller said Holder was recused because he previously worked at Covington and Burling, a law firm that had represented Clemens.

Roger, meanwhile continues to maintain that Brian McNamee injected his rocket rear with PEDs.  The Toronto Star carries this one:

Clemens again denied that former personal trainer Brian McNamee injected him with performance-enhancing drugs in a phone interview on ESPN. "He's never injected me with HGH or steroids," Clemens said of McNamee's assertions to baseball investigator George Mitchell...

Clemens said he chose to speak out yesterday because it was the release date of a book about his alleged drug use.

"It's important for me to do that," he said. "I've seen excerpts of the book and they're completely false. ... You know, guys, it's piling on. It's hurtful at times. But I'm moving on."

Clemens must have some reason for fervent denials.  A deal with McNamee "Don't ask, don't tell what you're injecting".

Others are moving on too from the Clemens affair...like the Hall of Fame voters.

Lou Merloni: Did a physician inform MLB players how to use steroids?

MLB.com carries a story about Red Sox minor league player Merloni's recollection of a seminar on spring training while he was with Boston.

Former Red Sox utility man Lou Merloni said Saturday on Comcast's "The Baseball Show" that he remembered a Spring Training meeting in which a doctor explained to players how to use steroids intelligently and without abuse, according to multiple reports.

Merloni's exact quotes, according to The Boston Globe, were: "I'm in Spring Training, and I got an 8:30-9:00 meeting in the morning. I walk into that office, and this happened while I was with the Boston Red Sox before this last regime, I'm sitting in the meeting. There's a doctor up there and he's talking about steroids, and everyone was like, 'Here we go, we're going to sit here and get the whole thing -- they're bad for you.'

"No. He spins it and says, 'You know what? If you take steroids and sit on the couch all winter long, you can actually get stronger than someone who works out clean. If you're going to take steroids, one cycle won't hurt you; abusing steroids it will.'

"He sat there for one hour and told us how to properly use steroids while I'm with the Boston Red Sox, sitting there with the rest of the organization, and after this I said, 'What the heck was that?' And everybody on the team was like, 'What was that?' And the response we got was, 'Well, we know guys are taking it, so we want to make sure they're taking it the right way.' ... Where did that come from? That didn't come from the Players Association."

The Red Sox angrily denied the allegation:

Boston's general manager during Merloni's Red Sox tenure, Dan Duquette, responded angrily to Merloni's claims, according to The Globe.

"It's ridiculous -- it's totally unfounded," Duquette said. "Who was the doctor? Tell me who the doctor is. If there was such a doctor, he wasn't in the employ of the Red Sox. We brought in doctors to educate the players on the Major League drug policy at the time at the recommendation of Major League Baseball. This is so ridiculous, I hate to even respond to it."

In fact, there were occasions when physicians presented steroids in a favorable light, in particular Dr. Robert Millman, of Cornell.  Here is what John Rocker said about a presentation:

The loudmouth former reliever said he and then-Rangers teammate Alex Rodriguez, among others, were advised in spring training of 2002 by management and players' union doctors on how to use steroids in a way that is "not going to hurt you."

Rocker said a doctor hired by the Players' Association pulled aside himself, A-Rod, Ivan Rodriguez and Rafael Palmeiro following a spring training lecture and candidly told them how to use steroids.

"Look guys, if you take one kind of steroid, you don't triple stack them and take them 10 months out of the year like Lyle Alzado did," the doctor told him, Rocker said yesterday during an interview on the Buck and Kincade Show on WCNN-680 The Fan in Atlanta. "If you do it responsibly, it's not going to hurt you."

Here is the account from the Mitchell Report"

During baseball’s winter meetings in Nashville in December 1998, baseball executives and team physicians heard a presentation from Dr. Millman and Dr. Solomon on baseball’s drug policy. One attendee, Dr. William Wilder, was then the team doctor for the Cleveland Indians. In a memorandum to then Indians general manager John Hart that he wrote after the meeting, Dr. Wilder reported that the presentation focused on the benefits that could be obtained from testosterone. He was disturbed by the presentation, observing in the memorandum that whether or not testosterone increased muscle strength and endurance “begs the question of whether it should be used in athletics.” He believed there was “no reason that some preliminary literature can’t be sent out to the players concerning the known and unknown data about performance enhancing substances,” and recalled that Houston Astros’ team physician Bill Bryan presented a good overview of these issues with respect to supplements at meetings the previous year.   Dr. Wilder reiterated these observations and views in our interview with him.

Manny Ramirez HCG admission a smokescreen: Tested positive for testosterone

Suspended Manny Ramirez will be serving a 50 game outage for HCG right?  Perhaps wrong. 

According to the astute TJ Quinn of ESPN, Manny tested positive for testosterone -- exogenous testosterone.  The  entered into the equation only later in the chain of events.  Smokescreen?

Obviously using HCG would appear to be less of a sin than a horrible anabolic steroid.  (in our view a drug is a drug; there is no hierarchy of bad drugs or good drugs).  Admitting to HCG would sanitize other PED use, making the situation much more palatable to the regular fan - or the Hall of Fame voter.

Ramirez (and spokespeople) have been promoting the HCG angle.  HCG, a natural hormone of pregnancy that also increase natural testosterone production.  The drug may enhance the strength of one's convictions, but in our view not enhance too much else.

However, there is evidence Ramirez used the much more potent hormone testosterone:

...testing by Major League Baseball showed that Ramirez had testosterone in his body that was not natural and came from an artificial source, two people with knowledge of the case told ESPN's Mark Fainaru-Wada and T.J. Quinn. The sources said that in addition to the artificial testosterone, Ramirez was identified as using the female fertility drug human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG.

The sources said Ramirez was suspended for using hCG because baseball had documentation to prove his use of the drug. A Major League Baseball source said Ramirez's representatives indicated they would fight a suspension for using artificial testosterone.

The 'doctor's prescription' excuse just might go over in an appeal to the MLB fan public.  If Ramirez really has a legitimate use for HCG he needs to get that information out there, along with lab tests, ASAP.

If Ramirez had a prescription he would have been for one of two reasons:

1.  Low sperm count

2.  Someone bought the idea he was low on endogenous testosterone...because he going off-cycle

The Los Angeles Dodgers star said he did not take steroids and was prescribed medication by a doctor that contained a banned substance.

The commissioner's office didn't announce the specific violation by the 36-year-old outfielder, who apologized to the Dodgers and fans for "this whole situation..."

Ramirez, in a statement issued by the players' union, said: "Recently, I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me.

So apparently we will not be privy to what really happened to the Dodger star.  One more deception.

Angry Cleveland fans demand HCG, HGH, steroids, and anti-depressants

Andy Borowitz at the Huffington Post, says angry Cleveland fans demand their players take steroids.

The national pastime suffered another black eye last night when a mob of irate Cleveland Indians fans poured onto the diamond at Progressive Field to demand that their team take steroids.

Displeasure with the championship-starved squad reached a boiling point with the news that slugger Manny Ramirez took performance-enhancing drugs -- but only after leaving the Indians.

When asked by ESPN if he ingested the banned medication while playing for Cleveland, Mr. Ramirez shrugged his shoulders and replied, "What would be the point of that?"

Mr. Ramirez is just the latest in a long line of baseball players who have refused to take steroids while playing for the Indians, says fan Chuck Goulardi, 49, the leader of last night's protest.

"Manny's comment was the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back," says Mr. Goulardi, who has seen his 'roid-free Tribe fall to their juiced-up competition more times than he can recall. "These players are paid good money, and all we're asking them to do is take one measly shot in the ass."

Name the best juicier who suited up for the Indians?  Paul Byrd?  Isn't that sad?  Give Cleveland a huge hit of anti-depressants.

Manny Mania: HCG story pregnant with possibilities

A compendium of stories after the Manny Rodriguez HCG story, which is pregnant with possibilities:

1.  Sports Illustrated gives us a time line of MLB steroid use.

2.  I'm back, R-Rod injects himself back into baseball. (USA Today)

3. SI, who must have an army of writers chopping at the bit, surveys MLB cities about Manny.

4.  How does Curt Schilling work his way into this story?

Add you favorites below...