Steroids in baseball: Mythology rules

You read it everyday "steroids (anabolic steroids) were not banned in baseball (choose one)

• when McGwire and Sosa compiled the summer of '98
• when Bonds hit 73 home runs
• until 2003"

Wrong.  Fay Vincent sent out a memo in 1991 with the official MLB policy (ESPN):

A year earlier Congress had raised penalties for possessing those and 25 other anabolics. But now the stuff violated baseball's rules, too. On June 7, 1991, commissioner Fay Vincent sent a memo to each team and the players union that stated: "The possession, sale or use of any illegal drug or controlled substance by Major League players or personnel is strictly prohibited ... This prohibition applies to all illegal drugs ... including steroids." The seven-page document didn't cover random testing -- that had to be bargained with the union -- but it did outline treatment and penalties.

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig reissued the policy in 1997. 

It wasn't until 2003 that implementation occurred bringing random drug testing that the Player's Union and the MLB management could agree upon in the 2002 bargaining agreement.

Thus MLB clearly issued a policy against anabolic use;  however it wasn't until 2003 that any sort of anti-doping control testing occurred.  Users of anabolics cheated the rules, there is no other reality to the issue.

Under US statutes the acquisition of a prescribed medicine not ascertained by a physician has been illegal for some time.  However the US Congress made anabolic steroids a scheduled controlled substance by revision of the Controlled Substances Acts of 1988/1990.  Although always illegal, these substances now come under stricter regulation and control.  Not just any physician could prescribe them.  A physician needed to register with the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (the FDA) and his state narcotics board.  An FDA number is needed to write and dispense these drugs.  The manufacture and prescribing of anabolic steroids are monitored by the FDA, and severe penalties given for doctors violating the law.

Barry Bonds can apparently use up to 7 illegal substances devoid of prescription without drawing undue attention from the Feds (until involved in BALCO); let any physician prescribe any of those substances to a patient without using an established diagnosis or proper prescribing procedure and he will face severe penalties from the government.

When everyone whines about how unfair life is to superstar Bonds, just remember that any doctor -- like James Shortt who wrote RXs for the Carolina Panthers NFL team -- who would behave so irresponsibly would be sitting in jail and likely with a poor prognosis of returning soon to practice.  The players using the drugs go free.  Some double standard eh?

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It is still not clear it broke the rules of baseball. "MLB policy" is one thing. What if there were an "MLB policy" that ties had to be worn on team buses. Second basemen What was found to be in violation of that policy and forced to pay a fine. Would anyone say he violated a rule of baseball? Did he cheat?

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All good points. But there's this too: Driving 55.1 mph in a 55 mph zone is also illegal, but it's widely accepted by society and by law enforcement, and if in 2004 there was a decision made to start strictly enforcing the 55 mph speed limit, to the letter, there would probably be many who would question the fairness of going back to videotapes of all traffic passing by a highway checkpoint in 2003 and retroactively issuing tickets to everyone who drove 55.1 mph or greater.
The point is that it might, just might, be less than fair to strictly enforce, in hindsight, a law that was on the books but was widely ignored, by society and by law enforcement.
It's good that unprescribed steroids are illegal and even better that we're now enforcing that law. It's just possible, however, that what we do with anyone who took them prior to 2004 could be considered in a light different from those who took them afterward.
The crime in the case of Clemens and Bonds could be their decision to lie about it, but those are the exceptions, as most everyone else seems to have the sense to either invoke their 5th amendment right or just tell the truth.

[B. Flood]

"A physician needed to register with the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (the FDA)". ???

Uh, I don't think so. The federal Drug Enforcement Agency is the *DEA*, the Food & Drug Administration is the *FDA*. So, which one are you talking about? Do you know?

[Joe Smith]

Nice try. Fay Vincent can say anything he wants but officially MLB negotiated a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the Players Association (PA). The CBA cannot supersede US law. Neither steroid prohibitions nor PED testing was covered by the CBA until it was re-opened in 2003. Moreover, incidental use of PED or masking agents that were in nutritional supplements were not covered either. It was widely reported that Mark McGwire used Andro which was legal according to MLB in 1998. The "rule" was changed after the fact.

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You know Baseball wasn't complaining when Sammy and Mark saved Baseball. They didn't care untill they were forced to.. Mark didn't lie he didn't answer. As for me I still love wathing him hit them over the fence.

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I know this is slightly off topic but I am beginning to really lose all faith and credibility in the FDA. It seems to me that instead of focusing their efforts on protecting the general public they are in-turn being influenced by corporate agenda and special interest. I take everything they say with a grain of salt.

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Wow, what a way to cheat in the all American sport. Taking steroids, pppffff.

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Nice article.Fay Vincent can say anything he wants but officially MLB negotiated a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the Players Association. The CBA cannot supersede US law. Neither steroid prohibitions nor PED testing was covered by the CBA until it was re-opened in 2003.

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It seems to me that instead of focusing their efforts on protecting the general public they are in-turn being influenced by corporate agenda and special interest.

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The crime in the case of Clemens and Bonds could be their decision to lie about it, but those are the exceptions, as most everyone else seems to have the sense to either invoke their 5th amendment right or just tell the truth.

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The point is that it might, be less than fair to strictly enforce, in hindsight, a law that was on the books but was widely ignored, by society and by law enforcement.It's good that unprescribed steroids are illegal and even better that we're now enforcing that law.

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It's good that unprescribed steroids are illegal and even better that we're now enforcing that law. It's just possible, however, that what we do with anyone who took them prior to 2004 could be considered in a light different from those who took them afterward.

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Good thought. Any date is somewhat arbitrary, but it would be reasonable to reinforce a stance against cheating. This isn't going on an anti-drug crusade, however would reflect a stance against dishonesty.

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The point is that it just might, be less than fair to strictly enforce, in hindsight, a law that was on the books but was widely ignored, by society and by law enforcement.It's good that unprescribed steroids are illegal and even better that we're now enforcing that law.

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of playing games. I was not aware about steroids (anabolic steroids) were not banned in baseball (choose one). Thanks a lot for sharing this information very nice information keep posting I am waiting for more and more articles from you.

......Alex

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I liked this saying - nothing in the world is impossible if you set your mind to do it.

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Good post.Prohibition applied to all illegal drugs ... including steroids.

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Its true but I lose all faith and credibility in the FDA. It seems to me that instead of focusing their efforts on protecting the general public they are in-turn being influenced by corporate agenda and special interest.

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A physician needed to register with the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency and his state narcotics board.

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We can assume any date, Any date is somewhat arbitrary, but it would be reasonable to reinforce a stance against cheating. This isn't going on an anti-drug crusade, however would reflect a stance against dishonesty.

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While we have no idea who first used steroids in baseball, their use in sports started at least in the 1970's.

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There has been a lot of controversy about steroids in baseball. there are some of the side effects They range from psychologically to physically From a psychological standpoint, they can range from a feeling of well-being to depression. Mood swings. And even rage. Sometimes called 'roid rage'. Other adverse psychological effects can include intense aggression and violence.From a physical standpoint, you can have all kinds of changes. You will have increased muscle mass and increased endurance, but the side effects can include a plethora of problems. The worst being liver damage, and cancer.

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Unfortunately, there are some players that have destroyed this grand game. The game has been ruined to a point where we may never recover. These people have cheated the records of baseball immortals and ruined their own health in the process.so there is need to take care of that

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steroids in baseball, well in any game it is just harmful for the humans. they may enjoy presently, but then there future is destroyed.

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Yeah, steroid use remains rampant despite the fact of all of the testing and warnings against their use!

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The US Congress made anabolic steroids a scheduled controlled substance by revision of the Controlled Substances Acts of 1988/1990.

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A physician needed to register with the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency and his state narcotics board.

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I think the manufacture and prescribing of anabolic steroids are monitored by the FDA.

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Steroids can cause many diseases in the later half of the life. People should really learn about all this. nice post. thanks for sharing.

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Baseball is played at several levels and the rules of the game, though they are alike in broad outline, vary in their details depending upon whether we are referring to Major League Baseball (MLB), collegiate baseball, high school baseball, or Little League. Each version is governed by its own particular jurisdictional authority which has control over the adoption and implementation of the rules for that level of play. The following outline refers to the common features of all games of baseball.

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mythology rules really doesn't matter when it comes to steroids. It can ruins any one life, however you take it in one or the other way.

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All i want to say after reading this post is thatsteroids are for that incompetent looser who never wants to realize his true potential!!and wants to remain saturated with the fake and spurious compliments given by others....

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It seems to me that instead of focusing their efforts on protecting the general public they are in-turn being influenced by corporate agenda and special interest.

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I know this is slightly off topic but I am beginning to really lose all faith and credibility in the FDA. It seems to me that instead of focusing their efforts on protecting the general public they are in-turn being influenced by corporate agenda and special interest..

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The crime in the case of Clemens and Bonds could be their decision to lie about it, but those are just the exceptions...

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It's good that unprescribed steroids are illegal and even better that we're now enforcing that law. It's just possible, however, that what we do with anyone who took them prior to 2004 could be considered in a light different from those who took them afterward.
The crime in the case of Clemens and Bonds could be their decision to lie about it, but those are the exceptions, as most everyone else seems to have the sense to either invoke their 5th amendment right or just tell the truth.

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It seems to me that instead of focusing their efforts on protecting the general public they are in-turn being influenced by corporate agenda and special interest.

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MLB i think is turning a blind eye on this issue, it was widely known that Barry Bonds McGwire and Sammy Sosa we're using performance enhancing drug but MLB officials just stand there and did nothing!.

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I wonder why this is happening? is it just for entertainment sake that sports official are allowing this? or is it because the rules and regulations allow this to happen or are they relaxed?

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