Doping in the United States

Doping, the use of performance enhancing drugs, occurs in the United States, especially in baseball and football.

History

Restrictions regarding drug use like synthetic hormones by athletes for enhanced performance in competition did not come around until the 20th century. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) established its initial list of prohibited substances in 1967 and introduced the first drug tests at the France and Mexico Olympic games in 1968.^[1] Thirty years later, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was founded. WADA was founded at a time when individual governments, sport federations, and the IOC all had differing definitions, policies, and sanctions for doping. WADA bridged these differences by setting unified anti-doping standards and coordinating the efforts of sports organizations and public authorities worldwide.^[1] The United States, a WADA Foundation Board Member, followed suit by establishing the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) in 2000. USADA is recognized by Congress as the official anti-doping agency for Olympic, Pan American and Paralympic sport in the United States. The agency has adjudication powers and abides by WADA’s World Anti-Doping Code (“Code”), which provides the global framework for anti-doping policies, rules, and regulations. Doping in sports is generally defined as using a prohibited / banned substance; however, WADA expanded the definition to include breaking one or more of eight anti-doping rules within the Code, which range from presence of a prohibited substance in an athlete’s test sample to administering or attempting to administer a prohibited substance or method to an athlete. As of December 19, 2008, the Code banned 192 performance enhancing drugs, substances, and methods.^[2] Similar to the definitional disputes the international community faced in the 1990s, national professional sports leagues in the U.S. approach anti-doping policy differently and independently of U.S. government regulation, WADA guidelines, and one another. They do not have the same list of banned substances or tests they require players to abide by, may not provide tests or sanctions for use of some prohibited substances, and negotiate their anti-doping policies with their respective players associations through collective bargaining.^[3] In 2005, the U.S. Congressional House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform took an active interest on anti-drug policies in professional sports by opening an investigation into the matter following heightened media activity on steroid use in Major League Baseball (MLB). The use, possession, distribution, dispensing, or selling of steroids is a punishable federal offense under the Controlled Substances Act which, in addition to steroids, lists other performance enhancing drugs and substances as Schedule III drugs. A series of hearings were held, most notably with MLB, the National Football League (NFL), and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Each league’s anti-drug policy was compared to that of the IOC, and each fell short of the IOC requirements.^[3] Response to the congressional investigation by sports league representatives resulted largely with push back and a “we can police our own” mentality, but the Committee felt differently and introduced the Clean Sports Act—one of six bills introduced that year in both chambers^[4] —addressing the need to adopt uniform national anti-drug policy standards among professional sports leagues that are consistent with, and as stringent as, those enforced by the USADA. While most of the bills were voted out of committee, none were enacted. As of 2013, professional sports leagues continue to negotiate their anti-doping policies privately through collective bargaining.

Doping by sport

National Collegiate Athletic Association

• NCAA banned substances

Major League Baseball

The Mitchell Report

In December 2007 George Mitchell released Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball. Major League Baseball asked Mitchell to conduct an independent investigation to see how bad steroid use was in baseball. In the report Mitchell covers many topics and he interviewed over 700 witnesses. He covers the effects of steroids on the human body. He also touches on Human Growth Hormone effects. He reports on baseball's drug testing policies before 2002 and the newer policies after 2002. Mitchell also named 86 players in the report that had some kind of connection to steroids. Among those named were: Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and Eric Gagne. And to finish his report he made suggestions to the commissioner of baseball about drug testing and violations of the drug testing policies. Mitchell also reported that he would provide eveidence to support the alligations made against such players and would give them the opportunity to meet with him and give them a fair chance to defend themselves against the alligations. The report also includes a paper trail of evidence that states, "Former Mets club house attendant, Kirk Randomski sent performimg enhancement drugs to the players mentioned in the report." Quinn, T.J. and Thompson, Teri Daily News Sports Writers [New York, N.Y.] CT. (2007):66^[5][6]

See also

• Major League Baseball drug policy
• Banned substances in baseball in the United States
• List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report
• List of Major League Baseball players suspended for performance-enhancing drugs
• Biogenesis baseball scandal
• Pittsburgh drug trials

Professional Cycling

In 2012, Lance Armstrong, cyclist and seven times Tour de France winner, was charged by USADA with using performance enhancing drugs, although he had denied it throughout his career and had never failed a drugs test.^[7] The charge is based on blood samples from 2009 and 2010 and testimonies from cyclists and other members of staff on Armstrong's former teams. On August 23, 2012, Armstrong announced that he would not be fighting the USADA's charges.^[8] On August 24, 2012, the USADA banned Armstrong for life and removed all his results from August 1998 and thereafter.

National Football League

In 2009, nearly 1 in 10 retired National Football League (NFL) players polled in a confidential survey said they had used now-banned anabolic steroids while still playing. 16.3 percent of offensive linemen admitted using steroids, as did 14.8 percent of defensive linemen.^[9]

The NFL banned substances policy has been acclaimed by some^[10] and criticized by others,^[11] but the policy is the longest running in American professional sports, beginning in 1987.^[10] The current policy of the NFL suspends players without pay who test positive for banned substances as it has since 1989: four games for the first offense (a quarter of the regular season), eight games for a second offense (half of the regular season), and 12 months for a third offense.^[12] The suspended games may be either regular season games or playoff games.^[12]

While recently MLB and the NHL decided to permanently ban athletes for a third offense, they have long been resistant to such measures, and random testing is in its infancy.^[13][14]

Since the NFL started random, year-round tests and suspending players for banned substances, many more players have been found to be in violation of the policy. By April 2005, 111 NFL players had tested positive for banned substances, and of those 111, the NFL suspended 54.^[11]

A new rule is in the works due to Shawne Merriman. Starting the 2007 season, the new rule would prohibit any player testing positive for banned substances from being able to play in the Pro Bowl that year.^[15]

Performance Enhancing Drugs in the National Football League

NFL Performance-enhancing Drug Policy

Since steroid testing began in 1987, the NFL has made strides to discourage steroid use through their testing policies and procedures. According to nflcommunications.com, The NFL collects more than 14,000 tests each year which is more than any other professional sport league.^[16] Furthermore, players are contacted with little time before their testing date, and any player who fails to test is referred to disciplinary review.The NFL has committed to testing for a wide array of Performance Enhancing drugs, Starting in 2011 the NFL implemented random blood test for the use of the Human Growth Hormone (HGH).^[17] NFL sanctions include a minimum four game suspension for first-time offenders, six game suspension for second-time offenders and a year around suspension for third-time offenders.^[18] All NFL suspensions are without pay in order to further discourage performance-enhancing drug use.

Historical Performance-enhancing Drug Studies in the NFL

In 2009 researchers conducted a survey of 2552 retired football players. The survey reported that anabolic steroids were introduced to the National Football League as early as 1963.^[19] Steroids use became so prevalent that players suspected that 90% of the NFL had used steroids.^[19] In addition to these rough statistics, Offensive-Lineman Pat Donovan suggested that up to 70% of the Dallas Cowboys offensive line had been using steroids.^[19] In 1990, a survey to 120 current NFL athletes reported that 67% of Offensive Lineman used steroids.^[19] At the conclusion of the survey, researchers found that out of 2552 ex-NFL players, 9.1% self reported using anabolic steroids during their career. Furthermore, 16.3% of Offensive lineman and 14.8% of defensive lineman surveyed reported using steroids during their careers.^[19]

Recent Developments in Performance-enhancing Drug Use in the NFL

The widespread use of performance -enhancing drugs in the NFL has been an on-going problem. Within the last eight years, three defensive rookies of the year have been charged with using illegal performance enhancing drugs.^[20] After reading such facts, there seems to be a strong correlation between success in the National Football league and the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs. Furthermore, as these rookies were identified as cheaters, they were disciplined mildly with a suspension of four games.

Sportswriter Mike Freeman recalls a Hall of Fame Coach telling him that "For every one or two PED (performance-enhancing drug) cheats the NFL catches, 10 go free. Maybe 20".^[20] Widespread steroid use is extremely common in the NFL, oftentimes going unnoticed by the authorities. In a study of steroid cases surrounding the 2004 Super Bowl, statistics show that multiple players were discovered as steroid users. Furthermore, the study shows that those specific cases were never formally documented.^[21] "The NFL says it tests players randomly, without warning, throughout the year. And yet there's no record of these players ever testing positive".^[21] The NFL's failure to document steroid use is extremely rare and problematic. While steroid use is concealed in the NFL, it is oftentimes the source of controversy in other professional sports leagues.

HGH Testing

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform revisited the NFL's anti-drug policy on December 12, 2012, specifically as it relates to testing for Human Growth Hormone (HGH). The collective bargaining agreement that ended the NFL lockout in August 2011 included a provision for HGH testing as soon as the 2012-2013 season — but only once the NFL Players Association approved the process. However, as of February 2013 testing had not yet begun because both parties continue to disagree on a number of issues relating to the accuracy of the testing and whether the test is valid for NFL players. Adolpho Birch, the N.F.L.’s senior vice president for law and labor policy, stated the following when interviewed by the New York Times in February 2013: “It has been a stall. I don’t know if it’s a tactic. There is absolutely no reason for this to have taken this long and us not have testing implemented. We should have been more than a year into this by now.”^[22] Congress is hopeful that HGH testing will be included in the NFL's anti-drug policy come the 2013-2014 season.

National Basketball Association

The National Basketball Association (NBA) first developed its anti-drug policy with its players association in 1983. Only eight players have been caught and suspended for the use of performance-enhancing drugs, most serving 5-, 10-, and 20-game suspensions:^[23]

• 2000: Don MacLean (steroids)
• 2001: Matt Geiger (steroids)
• 2002: Soumaila Samake (anabolic steroid: nandralone)
• 2007: Lindsey Hunter (stimulant: phentermine)
• 2008: Darius Miles (stimulant: phentermine)
• 2009: Rashard Lewis (steroid: DHEA)
• 2011: OJ Mayo (steroid: DHEA)
• 2013: Hedo Türkoğlu (anabolic steroid: methenolone)^[24]

See also

• 2010 NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement Highlights^[25]

United States Anti-Doping Agency

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization and national anti-doping organization (NADO) for the United States. The organization has control of anti-doping programs for U.S. Olympic, Paralympic, Pan-American and ParaPan American sport. Its work includes in-competition and out-of-competition testing, the results management and adjudication process, the provision of drug reference resources, the therapeutic-use exemption process, various scientific research initiatives, and athlete and outreach education. USADA is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

USADA is a signatory to, and responsible for implementation in the United States of, the World Anti-Doping Code, widely considered the basis for the strongest and strictest anti-doping programs in sports. In 2001 the agency was recognized by the U.S. Congress as "the official anti-doping agency for Olympic, Pan American and Paralympic sport in the United States."[4] USADA is not a government entity; however, the agency is partly funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), with its remaining budget generated from contracts for anti-doping services with sport organizations, most notably the United States Olympic Committee. The United States has also ratified the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport, the first global international treaty against doping in sport.

Legal issues

Anti-doping policies instituted by individual sporting governing bodies may conflict with local laws. A notable case includes the National Football League (NFL) inability to suspend players found with banned susbstances; after it was ruled by a federal court, that local labor laws superseded the NFL's anti-doping regime. The challenge was supported by the National Football League Players Association.^[26][27]

In the U.S., anabolic steroids are currently listed as Schedule III controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act, which makes the first offense simple possession of such substances without a prescription a federal crime punishable by up to one year in prison, and the unlawful distribution or possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids punishable as a first offense by up to ten years in prison.^[28] EPO is a drug that may only be obtained through an medical practitioner's prescription. Professional cyclists that test positive for the drug are banned from professional road races for a minimum of two years on the first offense and banned for life on the second offense.^[28]

Scandals

• BALCO Scandal
• Clemson University steroid scandal
• University of South Carolina steroid scandal

See also

• Use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport
• Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports, 2006 book
• Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big, a 2005 book by Jose Canseco that alleged widespread steroid use in baseball (including his own)
• L. A. Confidentiel, a book by David Walsh and Pierre Ballester about circumstantial evidence relating to allegations of doping by cyclist Lance Armstrong
• Drugs in the United States

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Doping.

• United States Anti-Doping Agency
• Poniewozik, James. This is Your Nation on Steroids. Time Magazine.
• Sports Doping: From the Laboratory to the Playing Field. Radio and Internet feature by the Special English service of the Voice of America.