Finegold Calls for Mandatory Steroid Testing for All Professional Sports
State representative and Congressional candidate Barry Finegold released a call to action today for Congress to address the issue of performance enhancers in professional sports. Finegold will push for legislation that would institutionalize random testing for all professional athletes in an effort to curb the steroids epidemic and break the cycle for younger generations.
"Today, as we all look forward to the baseball all-star game, we must remember to set an example for our children," said Finegold. "The problem with steroids is that they work and they work well to enhance physical performance. But they also ruin lives. The professional sports community in this country has failed to regulate itself. That's why when I'm in Congress, I will file legislation calling for mandatory steroids testing for all professional sports."
Finegold's proposal would seek to institute annual random testing for all major league sports players. Positive testing would result in suspensions and the professional leagues themselves would be penalized with fines for non-compliance. The federal government would enforce the testing protocol and the professional leagues would bear the costs of the program.
"As a high school and college football player, I saw the prevalence of steroids firsthand, beginning at a young age. I played with and against kids who used performance enhancers," said Barry. "This isn't just a problem in the professional leagues, but it is going on in our backyards. Congress and this country's professional sports leagues must set an example for our children by cracking down on steroid use - and instituting consequences."
By imposing an accountability system on professional sports leagues and their players, Finegold believes steroid use can be deterred and combated. Additionally, he supports increasing educational outreach to student athletes from a young age, warning of the dangers of steroids and the consequences of their use.
According to a 2005 report by the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 5% of all high school students reported lifetime use of illegal steroids.