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MLB 'knew of steroid abuse'
From correspondents in New York
November 09, 2005
MAJOR League Baseball officials knew of widespread steroid taking by players as early as 1991. according to a report by ESPN Magazine today (AEDT).
BALCO founder Victor Conte also said - in a story on steroids in baseball to be published tomorrow - it is simple for players to cheat despite baseball's new anti-steroids policy .
Conte was among four men who pleaded guilty to distributing steroids to Olympians and professional athletes in July and who last month was sentenced to four months in prison for touching off a scandal that rocked the sports world.
ESPN's Who Knew? story found that MLB tried to banish steroids as early as 1991 and again in 1997, long before record-setting home run levels by star sluggers that sceptics now see as tainted by drugs.
The report said that in 1991, a steroid supplier claims to have had as many as 20 baseball clients and former baseball commissioner Fay Vincent wrote about the growing problem and what had to be done.
Steroid tests were not mandated until two years ago, long after Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds had smashed single-season homer marks. Bonds ranks third on the all-time list and could challenge Hank Aaron's all-time record next year.
Authors speaking on ESPN also said the report found a steroid dealer who claims to have supplied steroids to McGwire.
US politicians have proposed legislation that would impose World Anti-Doping Agency-style standards upon US sports leagues despite protests from commissioners that they are better off continuing to police themselves.
Repeated doping scandals have forced lawmakers to question that notion, even as American youth are emulating their heroes by taking steroids and growth-enhancing supplement products in record numbers.
MLB commissioner Bud Selig has said he would favour a government-mandated anti-doping policy if collective bargaining cannot produce an effective anti-doping plan.
Baseball union boss Don Fehr was verbally pounded by US lawmakers in September over the doping issue, saying a deal was likely before the end of the World Series only to have the final end without a new anti-doping agreement.
The existing baseball doping punishments, laughable by WADA levels with a two-year ban and life ban, call for a 10-day suspension for a first offence, 30 days for a second, 60 for a third and one year for a fourth.
The magazine also reported that former All-Star first baseman Wally Joyner took steroids that he received from former teammate Ken Caminiti, who died of a drug overdose last year.
According to the ESPN report, Joyner admitted asking Caminiti to help him get steroids during the 1998 season when they were San Diego Padres teammates and Joyner was 36.
Caminiti, who in 2002 admitted to using steroids, gave Joyner pills and he ingested them for some time before throwing them away and regretting the move, the report claimed.
From correspondents in New York
November 09, 2005
MAJOR League Baseball officials knew of widespread steroid taking by players as early as 1991. according to a report by ESPN Magazine today (AEDT).
BALCO founder Victor Conte also said - in a story on steroids in baseball to be published tomorrow - it is simple for players to cheat despite baseball's new anti-steroids policy .
Conte was among four men who pleaded guilty to distributing steroids to Olympians and professional athletes in July and who last month was sentenced to four months in prison for touching off a scandal that rocked the sports world.
ESPN's Who Knew? story found that MLB tried to banish steroids as early as 1991 and again in 1997, long before record-setting home run levels by star sluggers that sceptics now see as tainted by drugs.
The report said that in 1991, a steroid supplier claims to have had as many as 20 baseball clients and former baseball commissioner Fay Vincent wrote about the growing problem and what had to be done.
Steroid tests were not mandated until two years ago, long after Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds had smashed single-season homer marks. Bonds ranks third on the all-time list and could challenge Hank Aaron's all-time record next year.
Authors speaking on ESPN also said the report found a steroid dealer who claims to have supplied steroids to McGwire.
US politicians have proposed legislation that would impose World Anti-Doping Agency-style standards upon US sports leagues despite protests from commissioners that they are better off continuing to police themselves.
Repeated doping scandals have forced lawmakers to question that notion, even as American youth are emulating their heroes by taking steroids and growth-enhancing supplement products in record numbers.
MLB commissioner Bud Selig has said he would favour a government-mandated anti-doping policy if collective bargaining cannot produce an effective anti-doping plan.
Baseball union boss Don Fehr was verbally pounded by US lawmakers in September over the doping issue, saying a deal was likely before the end of the World Series only to have the final end without a new anti-doping agreement.
The existing baseball doping punishments, laughable by WADA levels with a two-year ban and life ban, call for a 10-day suspension for a first offence, 30 days for a second, 60 for a third and one year for a fourth.
The magazine also reported that former All-Star first baseman Wally Joyner took steroids that he received from former teammate Ken Caminiti, who died of a drug overdose last year.
According to the ESPN report, Joyner admitted asking Caminiti to help him get steroids during the 1998 season when they were San Diego Padres teammates and Joyner was 36.
Caminiti, who in 2002 admitted to using steroids, gave Joyner pills and he ingested them for some time before throwing them away and regretting the move, the report claimed.
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