Baseball Steroid Plan Seeks Long Suspensions May 2, 2005
News Summary
First-time violators of Major League Baseball's proposed new policy on performance-enhancing drugs would face 50-game suspensions, the New York Times reported May 1.The penalty for a second offense would be a 100-game suspension, while three-time offenders would be permanently banned from the game, according to the plan unveiled this week by baseball commissioner Bud Selig. The policy also would add a ban on amphetamine use. The current policy, adopted in March, calls for a 10-game ban for first offenders, 30-game suspensions for second offenders, and a 60-game suspension for three-time offenders.
Selig wrote to the head of baseball's players union, Donald Fehr, proposing the tougher policy. "I recognize the need for progressive discipline, but a third-time offender has no place in the game," said Selig. "Steroid users cheat the game. After three offenses, they have no place in it."
Proposing that the major leagues adopt the amphetamine ban in place in the minor leagues, Selig added: "It is time to put the whispers about amphetamine use to bed once and for all. To the extent that our culture has tolerated the use of these substances, the culture must change."
Fehr had no immediate response, but Tom Glavine, a New York Mets pitcher and longtime union member and representative, said, "I have no problem with a three-strikes-and-you're-out policy, but I'm not going to say 50 games is the right number. But that aspect of the agreement is an area we could look at and make a lot tougher. Guys are serious about cleaning it up, and most of us think if you leave the program alone it is going to work, but other people obviously don't believe that. We're not going to dismiss this proposal out of hand; we're going to work at it."
Selig said that changes were needed to preserve the integrity of the game. Meanwhile, some lawmakers in Congress were proposing a single, nationwide drug policy for all professional sports leagues in the U.S.
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