Former owner of Expos, Claude Brochu, is not worried about earning the ire of former colleagues as he admits to being aware of the rampant use of steroids among MLB players during the time that he was an owner but did nothing about it. In an interview with Jacques Thériault on CKAC Sports, Claude Brochu candidly discussed drugs and baseball, particularly the beginning of the steroid era in MLB sometime in the early 90s. He admitted live on TV that owners were aware of the steroid situation but did nothing about it. So far, he is the first MLB owner, current and existing, to have admitted to such knowledge.

Brochu said that at first, they were naturally scratching their heads about it, but when it came to former Expos players such as F.P. Santangelo, it was obvious that it was happening but they were powerless and couldn’t do anything about it. At that time, he said, the union would not allow the testing of players and there was nothing to do. The MLB union argued that testing did not exist in other labor unions and thus they would not subject their players to steroid testing or other such tests. Of course, the whole union including the owners knew that it existed and players were using but they did nothing.

According to Brochu, however, the team owners tried their best to get rid of the steroid problem. They were worried about the negative effects and the injuries that were associated with steroid use and thus they tried to give advice to the players. There was an unwritten law that talk about steroids had to remain a secret. During that time, anabolic steroids were not illegal in Major League Baseball so nobody spoke about it. While they knew about the use of cocaine and other recreational drugs, they did not know anything about steroids and performance enhancing drugs. Star players received huge salaries and because of this, they could get or try anything that would make them get better. The owners felt like they had no control about what the players used so they simply chose to keep quiet.

Brochu added that the commissioner’s office seemed to have little interest in getting rid of steroids and that MLB had a lot to do with the owners’ silence about the matter. In the 1995 and 1996 seasons that followed the lockout, MLB was financially saved. At that time, fans just wanted a winning team and nobody really cared about players using steroids.

While Brochu is the only owner or ex-owner who has admitted to knowing what was going on during that time, it is quite obvious that owners and insiders were aware of the steroid problem even before it exploded in the media, but simply chose not to do anything about it until it was too late. From the interview, it looks as if a lot of people had the chance to have changed things, to have stopped the problem before it got out of hand, but no one was courageous enough to do so, only moralizing or justifying in retrospect.

A steroid tragedy involving their 19-year old son who committed suicide four years ago led Frank and Brenda Marrero of Vacaville to launch a nationwide campaign against the use and dangers of steroids. Last week, they presented a no-cost prevention program to Vacaville trustees for implementation in the Vacaville district’s two high schools.

Some four years ago, Efrain Marrero, Frank and Brenda Marrero’s son, was 19 years old when he admitted to his parents that he had been using steroids. The couple immediately sought professional medical advice to help their son overcome the effects of steroids. The physician advised and assured them that the steroid substances would naturally pass through their son’s system and that there was no further action necessary. Three weeks later, Efrain took his own life. The Marreros are certain that Effrain suffered from deep depression caused by the sudden withdrawal from steroids, and which eventually led to his suicide.

From this tragic event and in remembrance of their son, the Marreros formed the Efrain Anthony Marrero Foundation, and since then, have traveled throughout the country educating people about the dangers of steroid abuse and sharing their tragedy to students, coaches, teachers, and members of Congress.

Recently, the Foundation have teamed up with the National Football League (NFL)’s ATLAS and ATHENA programs, as well as the Oakland Raiders to provide a program for drug prevention and evidence-based health promotion to Vacaville and Will C. Wood high school athletes for a whole year.

Frank Marrero explains that from personal experience, the kind of information that they now have access to and wish to share with other people were not readily available at the time when they went through the ordeal with their son. The program they hope to implement will teach students the proper ways to handle nutrition and work out. Frank added that had their son had these options, he would still be with them today.

The Oakland Raiders has pledged $30,000 for each of the Vacaville high schools to implement the program for the school year 2009-2010. The program promotes strength training and healthy sports nutrition as alternatives to the use of alcohol, illicit drugs, steroids, and other banned performance-enhancers. The program is also designed to be peer-led and is targeted to both male and female athletes.

Over the last four years since his son died, Frank Marrero estimates that he has addressed more than 20,000 students and coaches. Bringing this kind of program to local schools is the culmination of all the years of hard work that the foundation has toiled with. Frank says that they have been so focused on education in the past and this time, they are able to broaden their mission and directly show students how they can do things the right way.

Last week, the trustees listened to the Marreros’ proposal and watched a short videop presentation that highlighted the program’s benefits. Superintendent John Aycock said that he looked forward to the implementation and success of the program, although the trustees were not taking any action to approve the program at the time.

Major League Baseball’s integrity among fans and the public hangs by a thread as steroid scandal after steroid scandal have mired the reputation of a number of professional baseball athletes—athletes that kids, particularly those who are into the sport, look up to. A lot of parents, teachers, and community leaders are concerned about the effects of the steroid culture in professional sports on the minds of young people and are troubled by the possibility that kids may follow the footsteps of their athletic idols, some of whom may be a bad influence and are known to have abused steroids.

To address this problem, the McQueen Lancers High School Baseball team in Northern Nevada mounted its own anti-steroids campaign to keep the youth and its athletes from using steroids as performance enhancers. With their anti-steroids campaign, they are hoping that they will be able to stop steroid use even before its starts. McQueen Head Coach Brian Nelson says that the athletic idols that high school athletes look up to are unfortunately showed in the media too often for breaking rules, making baseball a dirty game right now. Nelson said that with the campaign, they are trying to send a message that they are going to do the sport the right way and keep the game clean.

In the McQueen’s stadium, anti-steroid banners can be seen hanging everywhere including the dugout, on the outfield fences, and at the snack bar. The anti-steroids campaign was made possible due to a $50 thousand grant that the McQueen Baseball Boosters Club received from the MLB. The club applied for the MLB’s Baseball Tomorrow Fund grant and received the money for field renovations and the anti-steroids campaign.

Coach Brian Nelson says that in addition to reaching out to high school athletes, they will also be hosting the 2009 Babe Ruth State Championship so that younger kids who will take part of the event will be exposed to the anti-steroids message. Nelson also believes that the message about steroid use is getting across a lot of people right now. This could also be largely because of the steroid scandals in professional sports that have spread nationwide and has made kids, parents and the general public aware about this existing problem. Some high schools in some states have found that their own athletes are using steroids and steroid testing programs have been implemented to deter its use.

For Northern Nevada high schools, there seems to be little to no problem when it comes to steroids. Nelson says that he does not believe that there is a big problem in his school. Chris Stocker, one of Nelson’s athletes agrees but he says that steroids are still an issue at many schools. While he hasn’t heard of any problems, Stocker, a junior at McQueen, says that steroids have definitely become a recurring problem for high school kids who want to get to the next level. Stocker recently finished a research project on steroid use and says that high school players use steroids to get to college and college students think they need it to get to the pros.

Campaigning against steroid use is a good start and the Lancers hope it will make a difference in the minds of high school athletes.

The seven time winner of Tour de France, Lance Armstrong, crashed with other cyclist in the first stage of the 5 day Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y Leon race in Spain on Monday. They were still 10 miles from the finish line when most of the cyclist starts to get hold of their position. Aside from the bruises that he got, the crash broke his collarbone. He was brought to Rio Carrion hospital in Palencia and then transferred to Valladolid University Hospital. The initial examination confirmed the extent of injury. This prompted his team, Astana, to send him back to US for surgery.

Although the surgery is successful, Armstrong bid to race in Giro d’ Italia, Tour de France and Tour of Ireland may be affected. The surgery which took place in Austin Texas lasted for almost 5 hours. The doctors inserted a plate to hold together “multiple pieces” of his right clavicle. Armstrong is expected to leave the hospital after the surgery. He told a press conference that after the surgery he needs at least 72 hours to rest. “If the surgery goes well and the plate fits nicely and all comes together I don’t think it complicates things for the future anymore than the initial opinion,” he added. Armstrong is also expected to work with his indoor trainer after the surgery.

When ask by bloomberg.com if he can still race for the Giro d’ Italia, Armstrong said that it is still possible. “You hear of guys able to race in two weeks. The Giro is still very doable,” said Armstrong. An example is Tyler Hamilton who continued to race in the Tour de France even after fracturing his collarbone in a crash in 2003. Hamilton finished fourth.

Johan Bruyneel, Astana manager, is still confident that Armstrong’s collarbone injury will not prevent him from taking part in Giro d’Italia or the Tour de France. In a report from AP, Bruyneel said that he doesn’t think this changes anything for the Tour de France.” He says a broken collar bone in March doesn’t mean Armstrong won’t be ready for the Tour de France in July.

The Giro d’Italia race is scheduled on May 9-31. It is considered as one of Europe’s most prestigious cycling event. It involves grueling stage races.

Astana spokesperson Philippe Maertens also said in an interview that Lance Armstrong has a 95 percent chance of making the tour. He further said that there’s no reason why Armstrong won’t be able to race in the Tour de France.

Race director of the Tour of Ireland also gave his comment on the status of Armstrong. Darach McQuaid is in no doubt that Armstrong will be on the Tour of Ireland on August 19. McQuaid said in an interview that his preparation and participation in Giro d’Italia maybe in doubt but the remainder of his season which includes the Tour of Ireland will remain as scheduled.

Lance Armstrong just came back from retirement after he was able to survive from cancer. He was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer and was given a 50% chance of survival by doctors. Armstrong’s record in the Tour de France was also being questioned by some. There are accusations that he got the titles because of steroids and performance enhancing drugs. His first appearance in the cycling event was in January with the Tour Down Under. He is also advocating cancer awareness and lastly he still enjoy cycling.

After pleading guilty for distributing anabolic steroids and human growth hormone, Ryan Shooltz, 25 is sentenced for 3 years on probation. He was also ordered by U.S. Judge Michael J. Ponsor to pay $10,000 fine and required to perform 300 hours of community service within the 3 year period.

Shooltz was charged for 3 counts of illegal distribution of anabolic steroids and HGH after the drugs were discovered in his apartment by Amherst police on September 10, 2004. The police were prompted to search his home when a neighbor died for an overdose of methadone. During the search, police officers found several prescription drugs and banned substances. These includes thousands of anabolic steroid pills, 335 vials of human growth hormone and psychedelic mushrooms. Shooltz told the authorities that he purchased steroids and growth hormones from China.

Judge Ponsor told Shooltz that the community service could require 8 hours every Saturday for the next 3 years. Ponsor said, “You’re going to have to eat some humble pie. That might mean mopping the floors in a state psychiatric hospital or updating files in a community clinic.” Although Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin O’Regan requested the federal court to require the defendant to serve six months in a federal halfway house but it was denied. According to him, this is to let him suffer from his crime of illegal steroid distribution.

On the other hand, Shooltz lawyer also requested for the suspended sentence saying that his client had avoided any legal trouble in the past 4 years and may loose his job if required to serve in a halfway house. Right now Ryan Shooltz works as a sales agent in greater Boston area.

In Brooksville, a man was arrested by police on charges of sale and possession of anabolic steroids. Michael Maurer Jr., 41, was taken to the Hernando County Jail for custody on Sunday. It was not yet clear if he was already released.

Maurer’s arrest was due to an undercover operation called “Operation D-bol” by the Brooksville Police Department. The suspect sold anabolic steroids to an undercover agent. Several steroids and other paraphernalia used to inject steroids were also seized from his home.

In Arkansas, a raid in a pawnshop revealed not just stolen goods but steroids as well. Hempstead County Sheriff’s officials said that they seized “a sizable amount” of anabolic steroids. Investigator Frank McJunkins said that they were still in the middle of the investigation and still putting things together. He wonders why there were anabolic steroids in the pawnshop.

The former pitcher who voiced out his concern on the rampant use of steroids in 1990’s is now the assistant to the union executive director. Rick Helling, who served as one of the union executive board member from 1999 to 2007, was the first player that raised the issue of steroids use in Major League Baseball.

He is referred to as a hardworking and intelligent person by other collegues. Helling, who is at the prime of his career during that time, got the courage to speak in the Union meeting of the problem about steroid use. However, the union made no action on those allegations. Helling said, “Steroid use are so prevalent that guys who aren’t doing it are feeling pressure to do it because they’re falling behind.” He further said that it is not a level playing field. “We’ve got to figure out a way to address it.”

Now that he is assistant to Donald Fehr, many are expecting that Helling will influence the top union management to enforce changes in the policies specially on its stand against steroid use in the league. This time, he will be tested again if he can speak for the welfare of the players. There is a possibility that the views and principles of Helling will be different from what he believes before.

According to Gene Orza, the union’s chief operating officer, Helling’s previous actions had nothing to do with his appointment. “Simply because something happened after a fact didn’t mean the prior fact caused it.” He also said that Helling have vast experience in players association matters and executive board meetings. Orza stated that they already considered Rick Helling to be part of the top management even before the publication of Joe Torre’s book, “The Yankee Years”, which gave the details of Helling’s position on steroid use.

The new appointment for the assistant position includes Mike Myers, a former Yankees pitcher. Aside from their present position, they will also act as part-time liaisons to players. “Rick and Mike were seen as a pair and we thought of them for this position well before the Torre book. They were very active in union affairs, and were logical candidates to ask if they were ready to help out,” Orza said.

Their responsibilities include touring the spring training camps and acting as sounding boards for players. Orza said that the two understands the issues and concerns of the players in MLB. They will be joining former Major Leaguers Bobby Bonilla, Phil Bradley, Stan Javier and Steve Rogers as special assistants to the Executive Director.