Voting for the best baseball players in this year’s Hall of Fame will not be easy. Aside from the great performances and statistics that these players can brag, issues about steroid use becomes a major factor in their enshrinement in the prestigious HOF. Members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) are not just after the numbers but they also consider the character of the players.

An example of this is the case of Mark McGwire. He is already on his 5th year in the Hall of Fame ballot but his previous votes are way below the minimum percentage to be qualified in the HOF. A player should at least get 75 percent of the votes to be elected. McGwire admitted to using steroids and human growth hormone last year. Even before his admission, McGwire was already haunted by this issue for several years.

Baseball Players Linked to Steroids

And this year’s list included 2 more baseball players who were linked to steroid use, Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez. Palmeiro, who became controversial in his testimony in Congress, is a great contender in the HOF. However, his positive test for steroid stanozolol after a few months of his “I never used Steroids” testimony will definitely affect his chances. Though Palmeiro contends that the steroid found in his system was due to a contaminated vitamin B12 supplement given to him by Miguel Tejada. Nevertheless, he was given 10-game suspension.

Juan Gonzalez, on the other hand, was implicated in the steroid book of Jose Canseco. The steroid whistle blower claimed that he used steroids with Gonzalez. There were also speculations that the two-time AL MVP was on steroids because of his injuries and early retirement from baseball.

Steroid Issues Matters for BBWAA Voters

Members of the BBWAA have already hinted that players involved in steroids will face a hard time getting the required number of votes. Larry Stone of the Seattle Times wrote an article that this year’s HOF will provide them new set of headaches. “I honestly haven’t decided yet how I’m going to handle Palmeiro. I also haven’t decided if I’ll keep voting for Mark McGwire in light of his admission last spring that he used steroids. Two-time MVP Juan Gonzalez is another new name on this ballot who has a link with performance-enhancing drugs,” said Stone. He said that it is a privilege to be part of the HOF but it also gives him an increasing headache.

Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun compiled some of the comments and reactions of fellow sportswriters about the inclusion of these two players.

“It’s less about the steroids than a feeling he was a very good player for a very long time — but not great. I tend to set the bar pretty high on HOF standard of greatness,” said Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register. “Now, the steroid revelations would seem to indicate he was able to be a very good player for a long time because of some chemical assistance. That factors in,” he added.

Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star said that Palmeiro may not get enough votes in the HOF. He also hinted that he may not vote for Palmeiro but it may still change once he has the ballot. “I think the overall bar for all users and suspected users comes way down once a Bonds or a Clemens gets in. I think voters will have a much tougher time holding Palmeiro [or anyone] to a higher standard if, say, Bonds gets in.” Mark McGwire case is different because many voters see him as a one dimensional player who benefited from using performance enhancing drugs. “The real battle line will be Bonds and Clemens,” he said.

The voting will end on December 31 and the result will be announced in January 5. The induction will be held on July 24 in Cooperstown.

List of Players Eligible in this Year’s Hall of Fame

Returning players:

Robert Alomar (73.7)
Bert Blyleven (74.2)
Jack Morris (52.3)
Barry Larkin (51.6)
Lee Smith (47.3)
Edgar Martinez (36.2)
Tim Raines (30.4)
Mark McGwire (23.7)
Alan Trammell (22.4)
Fred McGriff (21.5)
Don Mattingly (16.1)
Dave Parker (15.2)
Dale Murphy (11.7)
Harold Baines (6.1)

Newcomers:

Carlos Baerga
Kevin Brown
Jeff Bagwell
Bret Boone
John Franco
Marquis Grissom
Charles Johnson
Raul Mondesi
John Olerud
Lenny Harris
Al Leiter
Kirk Rueter
Tino Martinez
Bobby Higginson
B.J. Surhoff
Benito Santiago
Larry Walker
Juan Gonzalez
Rafael Palmeiro

With so many steroid related issues we discussed this month, we have uncovered two more related news about steroids. These were not about professional athletes using anabolic steroids but these news shows that illegal manufacture of the drugs are still rampant. Law enforcement authorities are not laying their guards down as more apprehensions are recorded. This is a good thing for the consumers because the circulation of unsafe counterfeit products is lessened.

In Texas, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit was able to knock down an organized underground laboratory. Earlier this month, they conducted a raid at a residence in West Pecos River Court based on information that there was an illegal lab manufacturing steroids and human growth hormone. The investigation was composed of different law enforcement agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Texas Department of Public Safety Methamphetamine Initiative Group and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Lt. Phillip Cash of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said that the investigation started when they received information that a possible illicit lab manufacturing growth hormone steroids was being done in the area. “We found several pounds of powder chemicals and liquids used in the manufacturing process,” Cash said of their raid. Equipment used to manufacture these drugs like pill press vacuum pumps and other apparatus were also confiscated. He also added that a lot of the stuff was ready to be sold.

The authorities found out that this is not an ordinary production facility. The home is complete of equipment from manufacturing up to packaging of the steroids. Other equipment found were glass wares, electronic scale and heating elements. Documents which were believed to be recipes for steroids production and cash were also found.

According to Lt. Cash the substances seized from the home were sent to DPA Lab in Houston for further analysis. Though some bottles were labeled, they still need to verify its chemical composition. “Hundreds of small containers and small bottles with labels describing what’s in the bottle were found,” he said. The lab test will determine the kinds of steroids being manufactured in the home laboratory.

The still unnamed suspect operating the home lab has a history of selling steroids in local gyms with bodybuilders and athletes as his main buyers. Authorities are concerned that high school students may become users of these illegally manufactured steroids. “It is an issue that comes and goes in our area. It’s not a drug we see every day, but we have to keep it out of our schools,” Cash told the HCN Online.

Meanwhile, another raid conducted in Fadden, South of Canberra, Australia revealed steroids and other illicit drugs worth more than $10,000. The drugs were found in the bedroom and kitchen of the 27 year-old suspect. Authorities said that the raid was made possible through the help of the public who provided them information about the illegal substances.

The case of a New York State Corrections officer allegedly involved in selling steroids will now be heard in court. The charges were already filed several months ago but the lawyer of the defendant met an accident prompting the court to postpone the hearing. The case of Peter Dinardo of Deerfield was set on January 24 next year. The trial will focus on the allege involvement of the correction officer to possession and as well as distribution of steroids. The judge handling the case already noted so many loopholes in the charges against Dinardo but the trial will proceed.

His co-accused, Zachary Lazore, 23, of Yorkville, already pleaded guilty to 2 counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Lazore entered into a plea agreement that makes his sentencing done earlier this year. He was sentenced to five years of probation.

During the investigation, Lazore was seen in the house of Dinardo before the former proceed to a restaurant where the sale of steroids happened. According to undercover agents Dinardo was also part in the illegal sale even if he was not present at the time of apprehension of Lazore.

Lazore was already terminated from the service while Dinardo was suspended without pay. Dinardo will be represented in court by Michael Vavonese who was injured in a serious car accident earlier this year.

The accused claimed that the authorities know the names of the big time distributors who were allegedly involved in the illegal distribution of steroids in the area. However, they were being singled out and charged in court for the illegal transactions.

Meanwhile, a Reserve Deputy Constable in El Paso, Texas was arrested for allegedly delivering steroids. Reserve Deputy Constable Horacio Garcia, 38 was arrested by fellow law enforcement officers at his home in El Paso for two counts of delivery of a controlled substance. According to reports, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office was able to get the arrest warrant after months of investigation. However, they did not disclosed who are those people buying steroids from Garcia. There were no specifics of the type of steroids being sold by the reserve deputy. the sheriff’s office said that the investigation is still on-going.

Garcia was detained at the El Paso County Detention Facility and required to post bond amounting $55,000. Constable Sommers told the media that Garcia was already fired from the service. “I want the community to know that I take these situations very seriously, my deputies will be professional at all times. If you can’t be professional you can’t be here. The citizens deserve better than this and out of Precinct 7 that’s what they’ll get,” Sommers told KFOXTV.com.

It is no doubt that anabolic steroids rank the highest drug being used by professional athletes in Australia. Anabolic agents promise an increase in strength, stamina and more developed muscles which are integral in an athlete’s competitive ability. Even if the drug is included in the prohibited substances of sports organizations, a lot of athletes are still trying their luck in the hopes that they will not be caught by anti-doping officials. However, in most cases, they end up losing their career because of the stiff penalty and huge fines that may be imposed on them for violating the anti-doping policies.

Steroids Still Dominate the Sports

The annual report of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority or ASADA revealed that performance enhancing drugs are still on top of the list followed by recreational drugs. Of the 29 cases recorded last year, thirteen of them used testosterone. There were 3 players who were caught using EPO, a blood boosting drug and another 3 who used human growth hormone or HGH. The use of recreational drug is still a problem of the anti-doping officials though this may not be considered as rampant in the field of sports. ASADA recorded 6 cases of cannabis use and 4 cases of MDMA or ecstasy use.

The result of this year’s anti-doping test had no significant increase as compared to the previous years. ASADA said that there were also 29 cases of doping in 2008-2009 annual report while in 2007-2008, there were only 27 cases recorded in the agency.

However, there is a decline in the total number of anti-doping test conducted for the 2009-2010 period. The agency completed 6606 tests both government funded and user paid tests. In the previous years, the agency had 7498 tests for 2008-’09 and 6637 in 2007-’08 periods. According to ASADA chief executive Aurora Andruska their office focused on the detection of human growth hormone which is now becoming popular to professional athletes.

HGH can only be detected using blood samples while urine tests were used to detect anabolic steroids and other prohibited drugs. ASADA said that they have already improved their testing. One of the designer steroids that they can detect now is the CERA-EPO which is commonly used in endurance sports such as cycling.

Sports Leading in the Doping List

The sport that returned the highest number of athletes failing the anti-doping test was rugby. They recorded eight cases of steroid use in rugby while four of them came from bodybuilding. Baseball and cycling recorded 3 cases each. There were also 4 cases of doping in powerlifting and weightlifting. Other sports recorded one case each. These were basketball, tennis, golf, surf lifesaving, athletics, motor sports, and Oceania Muaythai martial arts.

When it comes to dietary supplements, people are sometimes confused on what particular product to buy because of so many choices. These are freely marketed in health stores and as well as in online shops. Dietary supplements is a multi-billion industry and seen to continue growing despite some concern on its safety and effectiveness. The FDA continues to monitor these products but there are still other supplements that contain questionable ingredients.

A specialist in sports dietetics have some tips on how not to fall victim to dangerous supplements whether it is intended to reduce weight, boost energy levels or increase muscle mass. Lt. Amit Sood, a staff dietitian in the Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, California disclosed that not all supplements deliver what it promises on its labels. He said that it is better to do some research first on these supplements or ask for guidance from a professional such as dietitian or a doctor.

Supplements with Performance Enhancing Effects

A lot of dietary supplements offer performance enhancing capabilities. These supplements are called ergogenic agents. Some example of ergogenic ingredients are creatine, alpha-ketoglutarate or L-Arginine (active ingredients in NO2 products), caffeine, human growth hormone (HGH), synephrine, androstenedione, and yohimbine. These ingredients are popular to professional athletes because it can help them improve performance through increased stamina and strength. The HGH for example can help them recover faster from injuries and it is now primarily used to slow down the aging process.

Check Label for Certifications

If you intend to buy a dietary supplement, always see to it that it has the FDA approval. You can also check for other certifications such as the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) or the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). Supplements containing these logos are assured that the product has been tested for its purity and free from contaminants. But don’t be fooled by some manufacturers who just put these logos on their labels. Double check by visiting the listed organization if the product is registered. This will help you avoid buying counterfeit supplements.

Lt. Sood added that before buying any dietary supplement, scrutinize its contents and only buy if you really need it. If you have enough information on a particular ingredient then it will prevent you taking the wrong dosage or type of product. But Sood said that the bigger problem is when the dietary supplement is composed of several ingredients. For example a supplement containing 37 ingredients claiming to promote fat loss, muscle gain, or an intense energy can be harmful to the user. Yohimbine is a prescription substance but the FDA found out that there are some over the counter supplements that contain this substance and is mixed with other ingredients.

This will also make it hard to determine its purity and if it is not contaminated with banned substances. Most professional athletes complain that there are some supplements spiked with ingredients banned by their sports organization. Lt. Sood said it is possible that some of these supplements may contain harmful ingredients such as silicon dioxide (sand), steroids, lead or pesticide.

Simple Tips That Can Help Avoid Taking Harmful Supplements

If you want to be safe from harmful dietary supplements, don’t just rely on the information on the label or from your local health store. Make an extra effort by researching on the brand, ingredients and claims that these supplements advertise on their labels. Consideration as to whether you will be using the product for short or long term should not be taken for granted. There are some ingredients that should only be taken in shorter period to avoid side effects. Know whether the supplement will interact with your existing medications, food or other ingredients in the product. And to be sure, ask your doctor for guidance in choosing the right dietary supplement.

Some US Army Personnel feels that the only way to become more effective in doing their jobs in war zones is to take steroids. Based on an internal investigation, a lot of US soldiers bound for Afghanistan and including those who were assigned in Iraq used steroids. These drugs were not used for recreational purposes but as a means to enhance body physique and increase strength and stamina. These are the qualities that every soldier must posses in order to endure months and even years of fighting in foreign countries. To bear long hours of foot patrols in rugged terrain, soldiers need to be strong and steroids can provide that.

As the federal government continue to deploy military personnel in conflict areas, the number of soldiers using steroids is also rising. This problem is already known to the Defense Department. In fact in their previous surveys, the number of Army personnel who used steroids in 2008 almost doubled as compared to the data in the last 3 years. There is an increase of 1 percent from the 1.5 percent in the previous years. Though this can be considered as minimal but authorities should see to it that every soldier assigned in conflict areas are safe and healthy.

But an interview with soldiers revealed that the number could be higher. In the Seattle Times report, soldiers disclosed that more than half of the 700 strong military personnel bound for Afghanistan have used steroids. These soldiers were from the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment based in Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Steroid Use not Only Limited to Low Ranking Officers

The use of steroids in the Army is not only confined to the lowest ranking personnel. Investigation revealed that even those in the higher level of the military hierarchy were using this drug. According to a spokesperson from the base, a captain, first lieutenant and first sergeant were among those who were given disciplinary actions due to steroid use.

Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the Army’s vice chief of staff told the Seattle times that they are not tolerating the use of steroids in their ranks. “The use of steroids is a short-term gain for long-term problems that individuals are going to have, and we cannot tolerate them in any way, shape or form,” he said. Chiarelli is also tasked to reduce the number of drugs use in the Army but on the statistics he provided to the news agency, the number of soldiers tested for steroids were still very low. In 2008, they only tested around 300 soldiers. The majority of the tests were still for recreational drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other narcotics. In fact they are testing more than 450,000 soldiers every year for recreational drugs.

Steroid Testing of Every Soldier Not Feasible

Anabolic steroid use is considered as a threat in the service since it can be abused. Long term use of the drug can also lead to undesirable side effects. Change in behavior and roid rage is a possible side effect which should not happen to people carrying high powered weapons. Authorities know that these can happen but their effort to curtail the use of these drugs in the military service is being restrained by the cost of testing. If the test for marijuana and other narcotic drugs will cost them $8 per sample, steroid test will cost them around $240 to $365 per sample.

How Soldiers Got a Nip of Steroids

Soldiers told investigators that most of them purchase steroids online. These are usually delivered to off-base houses and then distributed in a meeting area in front of the barrack. Another one said that he continued his use of steroids in Afghanistan through mail-order packages but the steroids were mislabeled as lotion packets to avoid detection.

Just like bodybuilders, soldiers also know how to follow steroid cycles. For example, an 8 week supply of Decadrol, Anadrol and Winstrol would cost them $200 to $500. The use of steroids in Afghanistan or Iraq is an open secret according to a veteran soldier. Those who are using injectable steroids are even asking the help of their buddies and these are being performed inside the camps.