Major League Baseball (MLB) recently dropped the hammer on 13 steroid users, issuing 50 game suspensions to a dozen players for performance enhancing drug (PED) violations as well as handing down a massive 211 game suspension to megastar Alex Rodriquez. This latest round of suspensions emerged from the involvement of 13 MLB players that were supplied performance enhancing drugs by the clinic Biogenesis of America.
“I admitted I made a mistake, but I want people to understand one thing. I wasn’t using a drug to take advantage on the field, or be stronger or hit more home runs,” explained Kansas City Royals star and 2002 baseball MVP Miguel Tajeada who was suspended in 2003 for 105 games for testing positive for amphetamine. “I’ve been using (Adderall) for the past five years and had medical permission from the MLB. But my last permit expired and they did not give me another one.”
Performance enhancing drug use isn’t just a baseball problem. Earlier this month, the National Football League (NFL) announced that Miami Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan was suspended for four games for PED’s.
“I worked carefully with my advisors and the union to investigate the test results, and I take full responsibility for the test results. I am very sorry for the impact of this situation on my teammates, coaches, the fans, Dolphins organization and my family as well. I will continue to work extremely hard during this suspension. I will stay in top shape and will be ready to contribute when my suspension is up,” said Jordan.
PEDs are drugs or substances used by athletes to improve their performances. The term PED is popularly used in reference to anabolic steroids or their precursors. Anti-doping organizations apply the term broadly.
A lot of fans question why athletes are using PEDs if they are illegal. Just like its name, these drugs give players an advantage to perform their sport at an all-time high.
“It gives you an upper hand that regular guys like myself don’t have. It helps you focus more attention to what’s happening on the field and that is an advantage because regular people like myself don’t have it. We’re all trying to get an advantage, but if its illegal, its illegal and you can’t do it,” said Washington Redskins wide receiver, Pierre Garcon.
The most commonly used PED today is Adderall, which enhances eyesight, mental clarity and focus. In 2012, the NFL handed out suspensions to 19 players for a violation of the league’s substance- abuse policy; eight of those were players linked to Adderall.
Baseball and football have the worst PED offenses. In 2003 the MLB instituted its first steroid policy, which was criticized for being too lenient until Tejada was suspended for 105 games that year. MLB stiffened its drug policy after that.
Currently, MLB uses an expensive ($400 per player) but effective test called Carbon Isotope Mass Spectrometry, to test each player.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has the fewest offenses. Since 2006 only four suspensions have been given out due to PEDs.
Former commissioner David Stern was quoted stating that he believes drugs commonly taken by baseball and football players don’t give basketball players a real advantage.
The NBA does, however, regularly tests for other drugs such as marijuana.
The Miami Heat’s Chris Anderson tested positive in 2006 for methenolene and cocaine; in 2009 Rashad Lewis took an over the counter drug called testosterone that is a form of steroid; in 2011 O.J. Mayo tested positive for Dehydroepiandrosterone also another form of steroid; and in 2013 Hedo Turkoglu tested positive for methenolene.
