With no action by baseball, steroids bill re-introduced

[Seattle Junk]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2210204

Associated Press


WASHINGTON -- Aiming to spur baseball and other sports to adopt tougher steroids policies, Sens. Jim Bunning and John McCain are reintroducing legislation that would standardize drug testing and penalties for professional leagues.

The new bill combines two already proposed separately by Bunning, a Kentucky Republican who was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1996, and McCain, an Arizona Republican. Bunning, a former major league pitcher, said the new legislation would be introduced Tuesday or Wednesday.

We have heard a lot of talk from professional sports leagues that they would do something to clean up this mess, but so far it has been just that: a lot of talk," Bunning said Tuesday during a conference call with reporters. "Hopefully Congress' action will light a fire under their feet to come to an agreement before we do it for them."

Like the earlier bills from Bunning and McCain, this one is based on the Olympic model, calling for a two-year suspension for an athlete who fails a steroids test for the first time and a lifetime ban for a second offense. Athletes would be tested at least five times a year, three during the season and two in the offseason.

Three House bills have been proposed with similar provisions.

The new Senate proposal has a provision urging leagues to erase records achieved with the help of performance-enhancing drugs.

During congressional hearings on steroids over the past eight months, the focus has been on baseball, and while Bunning's bill would also apply to the NFL, NBA and NHL, the timing of the reintroduction is tied to last week's end of the World Series.

Baseball currently suspends a player 10 days for a first offense. In April, commissioner Bud Selig called for a 50-game suspension after an initial positive test, a 100-game ban for second-time offenders and a lifetime ban for a third violation.

Under questioning from McCain at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing Sept. 28, baseball players union head Donald Fehr said he hoped a new steroids agreement could be reached by the end of the World Series.

"Well, the World Series has come and gone, and they still have not come to an agreement, so we're going to move ahead in Congress," Bunning said. "It's my opinion that Major League Baseball and the players union will not come to an agreement that's satisfactory."

During the World Series, Selig and the union's chief operating officer, Gene Orza, said negotiations on a new steroids agreement were ongoing, but both refused to comment further. Last year, the union didn't go ahead with finalizing a new drug-testing agreement until after its annual executive board meeting in early December. This year's session is scheduled for Dec. 5-9 in Henderson, Nev.

[Hackamaniac]

I think it's total Bs but that's just my opinion a 2 year ban for first offense is harsh.

[longhorn814]

glad to see my tax dollars hard at work!! What a joke!

[Hackamaniac]

glad to see my tax dollars hard at work!! What a joke!

I totally agree.

[Seattle Junk]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2195193

Conte sentenced to 4 months in prison, 4 at home

SAN FRANCISCO -- Victor Conte was sentenced to four months in prison and four months' home confinement Tuesday for his role as the mastermind in a scheme to provide pro athletes with undetectable banned drugs.


Conte, who negotiated a plea deal with federal prosecutors, started the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative. The lab, according to court records, counted dozens of prominent athletes among its clients, including baseball's Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi and Olympic track and field star Marion Jones.


Greg Anderson, Bonds' trainer and friend since childhood, was sentenced to three months behind bars and three months in home confinement after pleading guilty to money laundering and a steroid distribution charge.


James Valente, BALCO's vice president, was sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to reduced charges of steroid distribution.


Outside the courthouse, Conte read a statement saying he wanted to rid the sporting world of steroids .


"I've decided to direct my knowledge, experience and determination toward making sports more honorable for the athletes and fans," Conte said.


The case prompted pro sports to stiffen steroid policies and thrust performance-enhancing drugs into the spotlight. THG, a steroid uncovered in the investigation, is now banned throughout sports.


Conte pleaded guilty in July to money laundering and a steroid distribution charge; dozens of counts were dropped as part of his plea deal. Anderson and Conte, who remain free on bond, are scheduled to surrender to prison authorities Dec. 1.


U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan in San Francisco has said the plea deals, which some anti-doping officials have criticized as too lenient, were spurred in part by weak steroid laws and by the fact that some of the chemicals were not banned at the time.


Track coach Remi Korchemny, the fourth and final defendant in the case, is expected to get probation at a later sentencing date.


Meanwhile, officials are taking aim at the alleged BALCO suppliers.


Last month, federal agents raided a laboratory in Champaign, Ill., headed by Patrick Arnold, who's known for introducing the steroid precursor androstenedione in the United States. Andro came to public attention in 1998 when Mark McGwire said he used it when breaking the single-season home run record.


Court records suggested Arnold supplied BALCO with THG, which was known as "the clear."


The two dozen or so athletes who appeared before a grand jury in 2003, including Bonds, Giambi and Jones, were not targets of the steroid probe. They were granted immunity in exchange for their testimony.

[NYGIANTS21]

WTF why don't they get the real drugs off the streets and spend the tax payers money in better ways... like the FU**in homeless for instance..Just my opinion though

[Seattle Junk]

glad to see my tax dollars hard at work!! What a joke!

Exactly...What a bunch of hypocritical jag-offs...Bush was owner of the Texas Rangers for a few years, he knew what was going on in pro sports with AAS. He had no problem taking profits while most of his players were juiced.

It doesn't matter if they test, there will always be an undectable drug. There is still GH and IGF-1 + any player can use a set amount of testosterone up the limit. That benefits the older athletes for sure.

[operationgetbig]

i dont see what the big deal is with steroids ...they can potentially make u look and feel better...anyone healthy male adult should be allowed to use steroids as long as they dont abuse them and if theyre under doctor supervision...steroids arent going anywhere and neither are any other drug for that matter...no matter what u do these drugs will always be available...take the money spent on the drug war and put it to some good use...that's my opinion

[powerliftmike]

It is congresses way of reassurring the public that professional sports are "legitimate". Total crap if you ask me.

[longhorn814]

theyre doing it to protect young kids for taking steroids . If they see all their professional heros doing really well in sports b/c theyre taking steroids, young kids will want to imitate them and take them too. We all agree young kids shouldnt take steroids, but a healthy male adult is a different issue.

[jnx3k]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2210204

Associated Press


WASHINGTON -- Aiming to spur baseball and other sports to adopt tougher steroids policies, Sens. Jim Bunning and John McCain are reintroducing legislation that would standardize drug testing and penalties for professional leagues.

The new bill combines two already proposed separately by Bunning, a Kentucky Republican who was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1996, and McCain, an Arizona Republican. Bunning, a former major league pitcher, said the new legislation would be introduced Tuesday or Wednesday.

We have heard a lot of talk from professional sports leagues that they would do something to clean up this mess, but so far it has been just that: a lot of talk," Bunning said Tuesday during a conference call with reporters. "Hopefully Congress' action will light a fire under their feet to come to an agreement before we do it for them."

Like the earlier bills from Bunning and McCain, this one is based on the Olympic model, calling for a two-year suspension for an athlete who fails a steroids test for the first time and a lifetime ban for a second offense. Athletes would be tested at least five times a year, three during the season and two in the offseason.

Three House bills have been proposed with similar provisions.

The new Senate proposal has a provision urging leagues to erase records achieved with the help of performance-enhancing drugs.

During congressional hearings on steroids over the past eight months, the focus has been on baseball, and while Bunning's bill would also apply to the NFL, NBA and NHL, the timing of the reintroduction is tied to last week's end of the World Series.

Baseball currently suspends a player 10 days for a first offense. In April, commissioner Bud Selig called for a 50-game suspension after an initial positive test, a 100-game ban for second-time offenders and a lifetime ban for a third violation.

Under questioning from McCain at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing Sept. 28, baseball players union head Donald Fehr said he hoped a new steroids agreement could be reached by the end of the World Series.

"Well, the World Series has come and gone, and they still have not come to an agreement, so we're going to move ahead in Congress," Bunning said. "It's my opinion that Major League Baseball and the players union will not come to an agreement that's satisfactory."

During the World Series, Selig and the union's chief operating officer, Gene Orza, said negotiations on a new steroids agreement were ongoing, but both refused to comment further. Last year, the union didn't go ahead with finalizing a new drug-testing agreement until after its annual executive board meeting in early December. This year's session is scheduled for Dec. 5-9 in Henderson, Nev.

As i read this I hold my head down in shame because my Senator, John McCain is once again at his "anti-steroid " kick. Damn, he's pushing it.

[Myka]

When we found out that abstinence till marriage wasnt getting it...we introduced "safe sex" by educating kids about all that stuff. So why dont we educate kids about steroids . Assuring them they will see a better result if they wait.
This is a simple explanation and that is why I dont think the kids are the main interest. Someones got an agenda......

[Baller9]

Baseball screwed up by letting it get out of hand to the point congress felt the need to do something about it and/or saw it as a win-win situation for their political careers. Who outside of AR and similar sites/users will disagree with taking the juice out of sports in concept? Certainly not the majority of the voting public. The fact is that every major sport uses and abuses something for the sake of an edge, not saying it is right, but that's just the way it is. Why is it that the NFL has not got hit with this 'juice' bug? Those guys have always been on more sauce than us ballplayers, but somewhere along the line the NFL has kept it in check.

[thegodfather]

I guess my main question is, what place does the government have in professional sports? None, if you ask me.

[Seattle Junk]

Just look at the Olympics. They have tried get drugs out of it for the past 2 decades with little success. Sure, bust a few athletes here and there. But GH and IGF-1 along with new undectable AAS is still being used by athletes world wide.

No way football could be without roids after this point. The level of entertainment would go way down. It seems like about every WR in the NFL has at least 18" guns now.... I always see the bicep pose after a TD reception now... I personally like that but players are still juicing,.;.

[Seattle Junk]

Just look at the Olympics. They have tried get drugs out of it for the past 2 decades with little success. Sure, bust a few athletes here and there. But GH and IGF-1 along with new undectable AAS is still being used by athletes world wide.

No way football could be without roids after this point. The level of entertainment would go way down. It seems like about every WR in the NFL has at least 18" guns now.... I always see the bicep pose after a TD reception now... I personally like that but players are still juicing,.;.

[Seattle Junk]

Just look at the Olympics. They have tried get drugs out of it for the past 2 decades with little success. Sure, bust a few athletes here and there. But GH and IGF-1 along with new undectable AAS is still being used by athletes world wide.

No way football could be without roids after this point. The level of entertainment would go way down. It seems like about every WR in the NFL has at least 18" guns now.... I always see the bicep pose after a TD reception now... I personally like that but players are still juicing,.;.

[Seattle Junk]

Just look at the Olympics. They have tried get drugs out of it for the past 2 decades with little success. Sure, bust a few athletes here and there. But GH and IGF-1 along with new undectable AAS is still being used by athletes world wide.

No way football could be without roids after this point. The level of entertainment would go way down. It seems like about every WR in the NFL has at least 18" guns now.... I always see the bicep pose after a TD reception now... I personally like that but players are still juicing,.;.

[chest6]

psh post whore..why is congress getting into sports..what the hell...theres always gonna be steroids ..theyre wasting their time