Congressman Cummings Applauds MLB for Progress on Steroid Policy - Continues Push for Zero Tolerance

Congressman Cummings Applauds MLB for Progress on Steroid Policy - Continues Push for Zero Tolerance

Washington, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Maryland), a Member of the Government Reform Committee that has been investigating steroid abuse in professional sports, applauded the Major League Baseball owners and players for agreeing to stricter guidelines on steroid use.

Under the agreement, players who test positive for steroid use will receive a 50-game suspension for the first offense, a 100-game suspension for the second offense and a lifetime ban for a third. The entire season generally consists of 162 games.

Congressman Cummings, who serves as the Ranking Member of the Government Reform Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources, released the following statement:

"The agreement between the players and owners of Major League Baseball for a tougher steroid use policy is a significant improvement to the weak policy currently in place.

"The new policy will keep players off of the field for at least a third of the season.

"I hope that the other professional sports leagues will join Major League Baseball in strengthening their drug use policies to make it absolutely clear that steroid abuse is unacceptable.

"These newly agreed upon penalties are a step in the right direction, however, they still fall short of the Olympic standard that my colleagues and I have called for in our bipartisan legislation, Clean Sports Act of 2005 (H.R. 2565).

"Based upon the standard established by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, our bill would penalize professional athletes who use steroids by expelling them for two years for their first violation and imposing a lifetime ban for their second violation.

"The most devastating impact of steroid abuse has been upon the children who emulate their sports role models.

"For that reason, I will continue to push for a zero tolerance policy whereby players who abuse performance enhancement drugs will receive a just punishment.

"We must send a strong message to these athletes that cheating will not be tolerated. Families have a right to know that when they pay their hard-earned money to bring their children to a game that they are entering a drug-free zone."

http://www.house.gov/cummings/press/05nov15a.htm