by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright May 14, 2009
All Rights Reserved.

             Suspending Los Angeles Dodgers’ 36-year-old superstar Manny Ramirez May 7 for 50 games for testing positive for a banned substance, Major League Baseball violated any test of fairness or reasonableness.  When steroids erupted on baseball scene Feb. 14, 2005 with retired Oakland A’s right-fielder Jose Canseco’s controversial book  “Juiced,” MLB reluctantly admitted the problem.  Canseco was slammed by former players for besmirching reputations of numerous ballplayers, including San Franciso Giant's homerun king Barry Bonds, retired St. Louis Cardinal’s basher Mark McGwire, Texas Rangers’ ace Roger Clemmons and retired Baltimore Oriole slugger Rafael Palmeiro, to name a few.  While all denied abusing steroids, Canseco’s revelations have proven true.  Despite the denials, Palmeiro tested positive and was suspended Aug. 1, 2005 by MLB for 10 games, a more measured punishment.

            Ramirez tested positive in April for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin [hCG], a hormone given to women for weight loss and more recently fertility problems.  “It’s a dark day for baseball and certainly for this organization,” said Dodger general manager Nick Colletti, accepting MLB’s harsh verdict, banning Manny until July 3.  “This organization will never condone anything that isn’t clean,” underscoring the slippery slope of hormones and nutritional supplements commonly taken to reduce injuries and improve health for professional athletes.  In Babe Ruth’s day, keeping “clean” meant eating hotdogs and drinking beer.  Technological advances in nutritional science and exercise physiology have improved athletes’ health and longevity.  Media reports frequently call hormones and nutritional supplements “performance enhancing drugs” but lack scientific proof.

               No scientific evidence exists proving that hormones and nutritional supplements increase strength, speed and hand-eye coordination necessary to improved performance.  Ramirez didn’t use the so-called “clear” developed by BALCO, more closely related to Clomid, a commonly used fertility drug that boosts testosterone levels in men.  Ramirez indicated he was prescribed hCG by a physician to treat erectile dysfunction, a personal problem for which he was given treatment.  “Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue.  He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me,” said Ramirez after testing positive for elevated testosterone levels.  HCG, like the “clear," is known to boost testosterone, the male hormone associated with verility.  Bodybuilders and power-lifter have experimented with various supplements to boost male sex hormone.

              MLB only recently implemented a zero-tolerance steroid policy under heavy pressure from Congress, threatening tough new legislation should self-policing not have any teeth.  Congress meant for MLB to implement a responsible enforcement program not for overkill.  Suspending Manny 50 games far exceeds anything envisioned by Congress or any other anti-doping body.  While there’s nothing wrong with implementing a tough anti-drug policy, there’s something terribly wrong with scapegoating one player.  Punishments should be commensurate with the extent of the crime.  Ramirez was under doctors’ orders when he took the hCG for what he said was a personal medical problem.  As long as steroids, precursors, supplements and super-foods are legally prescribed, players should be allowed to follow medical advice, unless strictly prohibited.

            Manny has been treated worse than if he tested positive for heroin, cocaine or methamphetamine.  Boosting testosterone with exercise or nutritional supplements should not b e banned under MLB anti-doping policy.  Former St. Louis Cardinal slugger Mark McGwire routinely used androstendione, a legally sold supplement designed to boost male sex hormone.  It's unrealistic to ban technologically sophisticated exercise or nutritional programs, since each athlete decides what to eat and how hard to work.  If players with autoimmune diseases, e.g., lupus and fibromyalgia, take steroids under medical supervision, it currently violates today’s ban.  Taking harmless supplements or hormones to boost testosterone levels doesn’t put other players on an uneven playing field.  All ballplayers should be allowed to following the advice of doctors, execicise or health professionals.

            Suspending Manny for 50 games goes over the top in MLB’s quest to implement a reasonable and fair anti-doping policy.  Beefing up muscles with technologically advanced exercise equipment or nutritional routines should be a personal choice.  Taking upplements or hormones to boost testosterone or any other drug or hormone should be left to athletes and their medical doctors.  “I want to apologize to Mr. McCourt, Mr. Torre, my teammates, the Dodger Organization and to the Dodger fans,” Manny read in a prepared statement to the media.  “LA is a special place to me, and I know everybody is disappointed.  So am I.  I’m sorry about this whole situation,” hoping the organization and fans would show forgiveness.  MLB should stop scapegoating ballplayers and revisit its current overkill anti-drug policy.  Punishments should fit the crimes not prevailing riptides of public opinion.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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