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MLB revises steroid-testing policy

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1966232

Quote:

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Saying it wanted to restore confidence in the game, baseball rolled out a tougher steroid-testing program Thursday that includes penalties for first-time offenders and random, year-round checks.

"I've been saying for some time my goal for this industry is zero tolerance toward steroids," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said.

A first positive test would result in a suspension of up to 10 days, a second positive test a 30-day ban, a third positive a 60-day penalty, and a fourth positive test a one-year ban. All suspensions would be without pay.

Under the previous agreement, a first positive test resulted only in treatment, and a second positive test was subject to a 15-day suspension. Only with a fifth positive test was a player subject to a one-year ban under the old plan.

Since the old agreement was reached in 2002, the sport has come under increased scrutiny about steroids. Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield testified before a federal grand jury investigating a California lab, and President Bush brought up the steroids issue in a State of the Union address.

"We're acting today to help restore the confidence of our fans," Selig said.

In addition to the one mandatory test of each player each season, players will randomly be selected for additional tests, with no maximum. In addition, players will randomly be selected for testing during the offseason.

This new agreement runs until Decemeber 2008.

"I will be surprised if over time this doesn't take care of the problem virtually completely," union head Donald Fehr said.

Human Growth Hormone was added to the list of banned substances; amphetamines were not.

"We had a problem and we dealt with the problem," Selig said. "I regarded this as not only a health issue, but certainly you could say it was an integrity issue in this sport."

This is fantastic news. According to Jayson Stark, the players finally told the union to serve ALL the players and get this deal done.

We'll see how well it works, though.

I can't wait to see who comes to camp 30 pounds lighter. Hopefully, we'll see a return to a game that is played using quality pitching and sound strategy rather than ball mashing and fireworks.

It does make sense that the players pushed to get it through. You have guys like Pujols who are just naturally talented and because a few jack-asses like Bonds, Giambi, and Sheffield get caught they are in a way ruining your reputation.
Now, maybe we can also pass a law banning all body armor from being worn unless you have a LEGITIMATE injury.

Its good that they are at least doing something, but I think a 10 game suspension will hardly be a deterrent when new steroids are being developed as we speak with the specific intent of being undetectable. I would have liked to have seen tougher penalties. If you really want to deter it, why not make it really painfull to violate the rules?

!0 games may not be a deterrent, but I think that the pubilc ridicule that even 'suspected' users have come under the past couple of years may be the deterrent. As long as the name of the players that test positive are made public, players may think twice. People don't seem to treat steroids in baseball like they do in football. It seems to really piss the fans and media off that a player may be on the juice.

Wish it would have been more harsh, the are ruining the record books. It'll be like the beginning of basball when they didn't keep track of some of the stats. They'll be bogus stats.

Yeah I'll believe in these rules when I see them enforced!! HAHA Funny I also knew Selig had a sense of humor I just didn't know it was this good! :p