The Steroid Era

Performance enhancing drugs, also known as PED, and steroid use are poisoning sports worldwide. This is NOT only an issue in baseball. There have been reports of illegal substance abuse in the NHL, NFL, and NBA as well. The National Football League has just recently implemented regular testing for banned substances. The NFL hands out hefty 4-game suspensions to anyone who fails these drug tests. 4 games is quite significant when there are only 16 games in a season. The NHL does not test for steroids or PED, however many former players have come out and have stated that there is a severe problem in hockey with regards to human growth hormones, commonly known as HGH. The NBA was actually the first league to adapt an anti-drug policy (in 1983), however it is more related to preventing abusive and addictive drugs like marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine. It is not as focused on performance enhancers.

Major League Baseball:
I think it is safe to say that the MLB has struggled immensely with steroids, HGH, and PED over the last two decades. Stars and shoe-in Hall of Famers like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Eric Gagne, Mark McGwire have all been connected to the steroid saga. In a way, it can be seen as cheating. Sure, Barry Bonds has the most homeruns ever hit by anyone in Big League history, but if he cheated to arrive at that total, why does he deserve the record more than Hank Aaron?

In 2007, a formal federal prosecutor turned Senator, George Mitchell, conducted an independent investigation into the use of steroids, HGH, PED, anabolic steroids, and other banned substances in baseball. Senator Mitchell dug so deep that he was actually able to recover cheques from players to steroid distributor (and MLB player) Adam Piatt. Comissioner of the MLB, Allan (Bud) Selig appointed Senator Mitchell to conduct this investigation. After over a year of work, Mr. Mitchell concluded that 89 former and current MLB players were in some way tied to this humongous steroid network. That is an obscene amount of 'cheaters' in one game. All records and achievements will always be tainted due to the 'Steroid Era.' This investigation became known as the Mitchell Report which can be found here.

Above is a cheque from Miguel Tejada to Adam Piatt for $3100

He was purchasing synthetic testosterone and human growth hormones

Above is a package full of human growth hormones delivered to Eric Gagne at Dodger Stadium

It truly is quite disgusting that so many professional ballplayers felt the need to cheat. Some of these players had such natural skill and the steroids they used only destroyed reputations, encouraged other players to use, and most importantly - murdered and tainted the beautiful game of baseball. 

One could argue that the so called 'Steroid Era' has ended after the MLB implemented regular, random drug testing, however, Ryan Braun may have put those beliefs right into the ground. 

*Keep following the blog for a post coming up on Brewers LF Ryan Braun, or as I like to call him, the Cheating Hebrew Hammer.