Baseball and the Illegal Use of Steroids: Penalties Should Increase

...

Another point is that if the legalization of steroids would be allowed in baseball, there would still be players that would not be using PEDs or steroids. This would definitely create an uneven or unbalanced baseball field of players that play the game clean and players that play the game using steroids. Also, year in and year out records would be broken by different players because their production will be increased by the use of substances. Records that were set by clean players that played the game fair.

The penalties in baseball for the steroids users was first established during the 2002 Major League Baseball season. This old policy was an unconvincing policy without a doubt, for the first times offenders only a treatment was offer to that player. Not one single player was ever suspended for the use of steroids with this policy. Then there was the BALCO (Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative) scandal, a scandal involving the use of banned, performance-enhancing substances by professional athletes during the 2004 MLB season.

The Major League Baseball felt the pressure of the U.S Government who was responsible for the BALCO investigation. Soon after in the BALCO scandal happened the MLB decided to change their old policy and issue jarring penalties for steroid users. Under the new policy, it had to be accepted by Major League Baseball players and owners, it was issued at the start of the 2005 MLB season and it went in the following order, “the first positive test will result in a suspension of up to ten days. The second positive test will result in a suspension of thirty days.

The third positive test will result in a suspension of sixty days. The fourth positive test will result in a suspension of one full year. Finally, the fifth positive test will result in a penalty at the discretion of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Players will be tested at least once per year, with a chance that several players can be tested numerous times per year.” (“Baseball Steroid Suspensions").

For example, right handed hitter slugger, Alex Rodriguez and former MVP Ryan Braun, including twelve others were suspended for the use of steroids in late 2013 season. These players were involved in the Biogenesis baseball scandal where owner Anthony Bosch, supplied these players with human growth testosterone and anabolic steroids. Some of these players appealed their suspension and some took the suspension right away.

After that the Major League Baseball union decided to rise the penalties to 80 games for first time offenders and 162 games for second time offenders, and a permanent banned from baseball for third time offenders. I believe that these new policy is by far still too lenient. If the Major League Baseball wants to stop the use of steroids in the game, they should simply permanently banned the first time offenders for two to three full years from any baseball activity. For the second time offenders banned them for life from all the professional baseball activity. Because to play the game of baseball there should not be second chances.

Recently, Pirates' Starling Marte tested positive for using steroids. Starling Marte was suspended 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. According to MLB's press release, Marte tested positive for a substance called Nandrolone. Marte said "neglect and a lack of knowledge" led to failed drug test, indicating he unknowingly took the substance, but So many players have used that defense over the years that it's impossible to tell who is being sincere and who is making up excuses. According to CBS Sports, nandrolone is an injection-only substance and a lot of athletes use it to increase muscle size, strength and power. Also, it is used to recovery from injuries and increase aggression and competitiveness. A lot of people should think that this is new, but it not new. Bill Brink / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says that the synthetic compound for which Starling Marte tested positive has a long history of use for enhanced performance. He mentioned players that used this drug to have a better performance some years ago. For example, Roger Clemens was linked to the use of Deca-Durabolin, a derivative of nandrolone, in 2000. Also, Basketball player Juan Dixon tested positive for the drug in 2010. New York Mets minor leaguer Derrick Bernard tested positive for nandrolone in 2014, as did Baltimore Orioles minor leaguer Alfredo Zambrano in 2010. Athletes from other sports, including track and field and tennis, have also tested positive for the drug.

In conclusion, baseball is considered one of the most important sports for the American society and the society around the world. But the players that have use steroids in baseball have permanently stain the original America's favorite pastime. It is important that penalties for this matter increase, because the health risks that are involved possess a great threat to the life and career of a baseball player, and the use of these substances are a tremendous advantage to the user. Also, the penalties for the steroids users are in need of an instant change in order to save the future generation of players and save the future of the game. The steroid era may be dwindling, but it is not over yet. The MLB must make changes if they wish to remove PEDs from the game completely. The penalties for using banned substances must be increased because A eighty game suspension leading to a larger contract is not going to get the job done. Once MLB shows there is a zero tolerance to using steroids, including money, then finally baseball may return to its pure form and bring the game back to what it was in the past.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Works Cited

"Baseball Steroid Suspensions". Baseball-almanac.com. N.P., 2016. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.

"The Steroids Era". ESPN.com. N.P., 1 Dec. 2012. Web. 5 Dec. 2016.

"The Steroids Era". ESPN.com. N.P., 3 Dec. 2012. Web. 5 Dec. 2016.

"What Are Anabolic Steroids". Drugabuse.gov. N.P., 2016. Web. 7 Dec. 2016.

"What Are The Health Consequences Of Steroid Abuse". Drugabuse.gov. N.P., 2016. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.