Sen. Chuck Grassley co-chairman of the of the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control today commented on the use of illegal drugs in Major League Baseball.
The Mitchell Report, released today, revealed that each Major League Baseball club had players using performance-enhancing drugs. George J. Mitchell who authored the report was appointed by MLB Commissioner Bud Selig in 2006 to investigate substance abuse.
“Today’s report further illustrates the strong presence of performance-enhancing drug abuse in Major League Baseball. It’s disappointing to think professional athletes felt they needed to fall back on harmful substances in order to gain an edge. These athletes showed little respect for their bodies and to the integrity of ’s favorite pastime. What’s worse, they don’t appear to realize the detrimental impact they’re having on younger athletes. A recent survey conducted by the Josephson Institute of Ethics, revealed that nearly one fifth of high school athletes thought it was okay to use performance-enhancing drugs even though they knew these drugs were unhealthy. The bottom line is that Major League Baseball needs to shape up or Congress is going to do it for them.
“As Co-Chairman of the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, I’ve held a hearing to highlight the damaging effects of these drugs on athletes of all ages. I’ve also introduced legislation that would place restrictions on the sale of DHEA and co-sponsored legislation that would classify human growth hormone as a controlled substance. We must continue to do what we can to ensure these harmful drugs are removed from sports and our society.”