Former Republican congressman Tom Davis told the Daily News that he wasn’t so surprised to learn that slugger Sammy Sosa tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance in 2003, the results of which was revealed only recently. He said that they (congress) all knew that Sosa was probably using some substance, especially since those “things” were legal in the Dominican Republic where Sosa was from. Davis said that they somehow knew Sosa was choosing his words carefully during the big Congress steroid investigation in 2005 where Sosa was summoned and denied to using steroids or performance-enhancing drugs.

Davis was the chairman of the House Government Reform Committee during the inquiry and one of his responsibilities was to monitor big American industries for fraud, and to intervene when those industries are unable to self-regulate. MLB was one of those industries that went haywire, exposing its players’ out-of-control use of banned substance after the controversial tell-all “Juiced” by Jose Canseco, which accused several MLB players including Mark McGwire of using steroids.

During the infamous hearing which took place in March 17, 2005, Sammy Sosa said that he never took illegal performance-enhancing drugs—which may have some truth to it. In Santo Domingo where Sosa hails from, it is both legal and easy to buy performance-enhancing drugs, which are otherwise banned in baseball. In addition to this, Sosa relied on an interpreter during the investigation, which can insulate him of perjury charges. Of this, Davis says that under the law, those issues would make a conviction more difficult. He was quick to add, however, that the inquiry was never about convictions; it was not their intention to conduct a witch hunt and have a field day, but to clean up the mess that the game was muddled with.

Now a consultant with Deloitte LLP, the ex-congressman was also a ranking Republican on the second round of hearings regarding the disputes of Roger Clemens and former Senator George Mitchell’s report on MLB’s use of steroids and its drug culture.

Davis says he is proud of the accomplishments that his committee has made in fixing the steroid problem of the MLB. Because of the pressures that they insisted on the league in the 2005 and 2008 hearings, the league was forced in commissioning the Mitchell report, to overhauling their drug policies, and establishing an Internal Department of Investigations, which incidentally was the team that busted Manny Ramirez.

At the end of the day, Davis said, they did not pass a law, they just held hearings and they got the private sector to take action. Davis is also proud that he and his colleagues, as well as the California Democrat stuck together during brutal criticisms and partisan times. When they launched their baseball probes, they got a lot of angry phone calls from owners and union leaders.

Together with Congressman Henry Waxman who also led the probe, Davis said that all they wanted to do was expose the steroid and drug use and stop it, and that they were not out to indict anybody. They wanted a change in policy, and he believes that is what they got.

Rays pitcher Joe Nelson came in defense of Donald Fehr, retiring executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, after John Kruk gave Fehr a ‘C’ rating on ESPN. Fehr has been criticized by the media for not pushing a stricter steroid policy.

Nelson said sarcastically that he didn’t know how many MLB Players Association meetings Kruk have been to, but what Nelson can attest is how active Fehr was in the association. He went as far as saying that the MLB players of today and as far back as ten years ago in the duration of Fehr’s tenure, make the money that they make and have the deals that they have, “all because of Donald.” He further said that Fehr represented them (the players), so anything that ensued from his decisions was pushed by the players for him to make, whether it was related to steroid testing or anything else.

Nelson also addressed Kruk directly saying that what he saw on ESPN upset him. Nelson mentioned that Kruk was mad about the cancelation of the 1994 World Series; to answer that, Nelson said that from what he recalls, it was Tom Glavine who was running the negotiations at that time. And besides, Nelson said, if Fehr wanted to fold, they would have went with him, but that they would not have the things that they currently have if they folded in 1994. He further reiterated that Fehr had always done what the players asked of him.

Also in Fehr’s defense, Nelson said that it was unfair to blame the players’ use of steroids on the retiring executive director. He heard Buster Olney of ESPN mention that Fehr’s legacy will be tainted with steroids, but Nelson said that Fehr never showed up and injected anybody with the banned substance. Fehr fought for the players’ rights, Nelson said, and if enough of the players would have shown up in the meeting and said that they should do steroid testing, he believes Fehr would have pushed for it and the mandate would have been accepted by everybody.

The great thing about what Fehr does, Nelson insists, is that that in discussing issues during meetings, he provides the pros and cons and represents both sides, always clarifying to the players that if they vote for this, this will be the positive side, but if they lose, this will be the negative side, and so on. After such protocol, the players are the ones who push and decide which direction they will go.

Nelson says that the players he has seen or heard come out and say negative things about Fehr are the ones who are not currently playing or are those who weren’t at the meetings and did not know how the process went, saying that Fehr always gives both sides of the equation. Nelson can understand, however, that Fehr may not be so popular with the owners, fans, or the Commissioner’s Office because he did not represent them and that was not his gig. What he doesn’t get is why current or former players would be so critical of their representative.

After 4 years of long battle in court, a former police officer of Lafayette, Louisiana finally wins his case. John Keith Richard was able to prove that the Lafayette police department has no reason to test him for drugs which caused his termination from the police force. The Louisiana Supreme Court issued a final ruling on his case last month after it denied a rehearing requested by the attorneys of Lafayette Consolidated Government.

The termination of Richard was upheld by the Lafayette Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board and the district court in 2005. He was not satisfied with the decision of the lower court so he elevated his case to the appeals court where he got a favorable decision. The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that there was no reason to test police officer John Keith Richard for drugs like steroids. This was also upheld by the Supreme court early this year.

His termination from the service was caused by a positive test result for steroids. This was conducted by the police department during an internal investigation where some officers where allegedly using drugs particularly steroids. This was also in connection with the raid conducted on the Meaux Avenue apartment of Mark Anthony Cormier where officers confiscated several bottles of anabolic steroids.

Attorney Pat Ottinger, lawyer for the Lafayette City said that they were disappointed with the decision but they respect the decision of the Supreme Court. “The case has always been about the ability of the government to ensure that its public servants are fit for service, particularly in critical positions such as the police department,” he said.

Richard’s lawyer, William Goode said that its effectively over.”This effectively terminates litigation,” he said. Goode also said that his client is planning to apply for reinstatement to the police force and still wants to retire as a police officer.

On the other hand, transit police in Surrey BC, Canada was able to arrest a suspected illegal steroid and tobacco dealer near the Surrey Central bus loop. In the report of bclocalnews.com, transit police officers Bernard Florido and Bruce Shipley were conducting their rounds at the station when they noticed four suspicious men. When they conducted a search, they found small vial of Oxymetholone, an artificial hormone. This is a type of steroid which is used by some athletes and bodybuilders to pack on muscle mass.

They also found hundreds of illegal cigarettes packaged in individual plastic pouches containing approximately 20-50 cigarettes each and cash worth $618. A 47-year old man was charged for violating provincial tobacco regulations which carries a fine of $575 and also faces a charge of trafficking in steroids.

Ward Clapham, Transit Police Chief said the people who make and sell illegal cigarettes are part of organized crime. “These same groups are also involved in violence, drug dealing and weapons offenses on our streets,” he added.

According to the police, they already knew the suspect since he had a previous criminal record dating back to 1999. He is expected to appear in court on July 27.

Daily headlines of almost all sports news agencies features stories on steroid use in professional sports. News on the use of performance enhancing drugs by Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and other players in the major league seems to be unending. Athletes in other field of sports such as NHL, like the updates on the Williamses, the MMA, and cycling are still hot topics to cover. Use of performance enhancing drug is considered by many as cheating since it gives an athlete a boost in his performance. This is the reason why sports organization prohibited the use of these drugs. However, another issue that is interesting to discuss is the use of mind enhancing drugs used by students. A recent study shows that mind enhancers are still popular in high school and college students even if it can give them undesirable side effects. Ethical issues are also raised by many since it can also give the student a boost in his performance in school.

Mind enhancing drugs are actually used for medical conditions. It is a prescription drug used to treat ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Experts warn taking such drugs without a prescription can put users at risk of addiction and other side effects. Taking these prescription stimulants to help stay awake, alert and improve concentration is considered by school administrators and other students as cheating. College students have used stimulants such as No Doz caffeine pills, Dexedrine and Benzedrine to help them stay awake and alert but Adderall became popular because it helps them concentrate for longer periods of time. According to the research, the rise in Adderall use comes as young people are increasingly consuming prescription drugs to get high and as organized sports grapple with performance-enhancing substances. Many students turn to this drug because of very competitive academic world which give them an edge as they vie for jobs and spots in graduate schools.

Professor Sean Esteban McCabe of the University of Michigan Substance Abuse Research Center said that the nonmedical use of prescription stimulants among U.S. college students is now at its highest level in 15 years. There is an increase in the illegal use of prescription stimulants by college students as compared to its use for the treatment of legitimate medical conditions, This was the result of a study by McCabe in 2003. Experts also warn users that Adderall can have severe side effects, including dizziness, insomnia and the potential for addiction.

The misuse of academic steroids is most prevalent in private colleges based on a study conducted in 2006 by Northeastern University. In the survey of 4,500 college students, they found out that Adderall was the most popular drug among the 6 percent who had illegally used a prescription stimulant in the past year.

Some students who were interviewed on the use of prescription stimulants said that the drug helped them in the treatment of their medical condition, however it can lead to addiction if not monitored and controlled properly. Students with ADHD are usually the source of this drugs. A senior student at UC Berkeley who has a prescription for Adderall said that he get phone calls from other students asking him for the drug. This is frequent weeks before an exam and he usually give it for free.

Another student who is also taking the drug for her medical condition said that she increased the intake of the pills during exams. She took more than the allowed dosage for her treatment. According to her she also sold this drug to her friends. “I would try to get people to start it so that they would like it and want more. I would give them a couple pills in the beginning, and then when they liked it, which always happens, they would want more,” she said. Other students also compare this drug to energy drinks which helped them perform better in day to day work.

Stimulants like Adderall is listed as a Schedule II controlled substance by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. It is illegal for anyone without a prescription to possess or use the drug.

Shire PLC, Adderall’s manufacturer, says it is the responsibility of the patients to use the drug properly and it warns against using the drug without a prescription. They are also aware of the reports of the drug’s misuse by high school and college students but said that they have already taken several steps to educate patients about the dangers of using the drug improperly or sharing it with other students. The spokesperson of the company, Matt Cabrey said the company distributes brochures to the parents of middle school- and high school-age patients helping them identify signs that their child could be giving away or selling their pills.

According to Cabrey, if the child is still exhibiting symptoms of ADHD, that might be an indication they’re not taking their medication. “Are they not taking their medication because they forgot? Or are they not taking it because they had 30 pills for the month and instead of taking all 30, they diverted 15 by selling them to their classmates?” he added.

By the way, stimulants like Adderall is not only popular among students. There are also reports that amphetamine use is also popular in baseball.

Anabolic Steroids is still a major concern of most parents with kids involved in sports. Peer pressure and the desire to excel in their chosen sports are the common reason why these young athletes use performance enhancing drugs. In the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) survey, almost half million 8th to 10th graders use performance enhancing drugs and most high school seniors believes that using anabolic steroids is not risky. The Monitoring the Future Survey (MTF) released by the Department of Health and Human Services also showed that steroid abuse is common among male 12th graders. In another study, 0.5 percent of American adult used anabolic steroids.

Professional sports are also plagued with steroid related scandals. All of these sports organizations have their steroid testing policies and usually impose stiffer sanctions. For Olympic athletes, minimum sanction is 2 years while in other leagues it may give a minimum 50 game suspension to its athletes found using steroids and other performance enhancing drugs.

Recently a lab testing company introduced a steroids test kit which can be used at home. These could help the parents monitor their kids from these drugs and enhancers. These could also be used by professional athletes especially those who are taking supplements. Based from a survey of supplements available in the US market, it is noted that majority of it are tainted with steroids. These could lead to accidental doping. There are already numerous athletes who were sanctioned by their respective sports organization for accidentally taking steroids which were blamed on dietary supplements. Some of these athletes are swimmer Jessica Hardy and Olympian Serge Despress.

The test kit called SteroidConfirm can detect up to 17 different types of performance-enhancing agents. It uses Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. It can accurately quantify substances well below regular cut-off levels by using urine sample. The kit provides a patented syringe with a sealable tube to prevent accidental spills or transport damage. It is less bulky but the syringe can provide ample volume of specimen required for the laboratory test.

It also includes Medical Review Officer report and a Chain of Custody form which can be used by organizations testing their employees, parents or individuals to help them interpret the result. According to the company, the results can be accessed through a secure online portal. The confidentiality of the results are also guaranteed since there is no personal information required.

According to Zeynep Ilgaz, CEO of Confirm BioSciences, “Concerns about body image and athletic performance may be leading teens, as well as adult men and women, to use anabolic steroids, despite the serious side effects of these drugs.” “Because people like the physical results they see when they use steroids, it can easily turn into steroid abuse. Often people begin to overlook the possible side effects of steroids and move from steroid use to steroid abuse.”

Daily Nebraskan got the chance to interview Howard Bryant, one of ESPN’s main baseball writers, regarding steroid stories. In the past, Howard has written many articles about Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez and Sammy Sosa. He even wrote “Juicing the Game: Drugs, Power and the Fight for the Soul of Major League Baseball.” The said interview happened the day after it was reported that Sammy Sosa did in fact use steroids in 2003.

According to Bryant, he first heard the Sosa news when one of his ESPN sources called him and told him the news. “They asked me whether or not that I’d have anything to say about it. We went from there.” He then wrote a column regarding the Sosa news entitled “Sosa news calls for special outrage.” In that column, he wrote “this latest orthodoxy is particularly insulting, for it suggests that the steroids era appeared one day out of thin air—blamelessly and tragically, like, say cholera—and that the players were unfortunate victims.”

Daily Nebraskan also asked if they were already suspicious in 1998. “I was always suspicious of it. But I’m always suspicious of things. It’s amazing how the beat writers turned a blind eye. If you were a beat writer, you had a lot of access. If you started asking the wrong questions, you’d lose that access. The revelations came from guys that weren’t beat writers,” Bryant said.

Bryant also gave his opinion on the leaking of the 2003 list of the players who tested positive during the very first drug test in baseball. “I have a problem with it because MLB association made a deal. I don’t think anyone is going to be very enthusiastic about the leaking of the names. There are many different people that are going to leak it out there.”

He also categorized that the seriousness of the steroid issue depends on “who you talk to and what goes through their frame of mind. People are going to continue to attend the games, even if they don’t believe the accomplishments of what they are seeing.” Bryant also said that players in the league can’t distance themselves from all the steroid controversies because they are already part of the league. “The players who benefited were the players that did use. I don’t think the clean players don’t have much of an argument because their salaries went up as the numbers went up,” he added.

With all the steroid stories that come out almost everyday, Bryant admitted that indeed it gets old covering this kind of controversy in the world of sports. However, he is not cynical about it. “It’s not as if I am trying to make up an argument. I think we live in a climate of incredible cynicism,” Bryant said.

Since Bryant wrote “the real value will come from the superstar who actually uses his celebrity to reform,” the Daily Nebraskan asked if it is even a possibility with the baseball code and the player’s union. “I don’t know if it’s a real possibility. But it’s the only one. If you want your name cleared, you have to earn it back,” Bryant answered.