Bud Selig Seeks 50-Game Penalty for Steroids
 |
James Joyner | Saturday, April 30, 2005 |
Selig Seeks 50-Game Penalty for Steroids (AP)
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig asked players to agree to a 50-game suspension for first-time steroid offenders and a lifetime ban for a third violation. In a letter sent this week to union head Donald Fehr, Selig proposed a 100-game ban for a second offense. He also asked the union to ban amphetamines, to have more frequent random tests and to appoint an independent person to administer the major league drug-testing program.
Under the rules that began this season, a first offense gets a 10-day suspension, with the penalty increasing to 30 days for a second positive test, 60 days for a third and one year for a fourth. For a fifth positive, the penalty is at the commissioner’s discretion. Baseball currently has no penalties for amphetamine use by players on 40-man major league rosters. Amphetamines are banned for players under minor league contracts.
“Last winter, we reopened our agreement to deal with steroids,” Selig wrote in the April 25 letter, a copy of which was obtained Saturday by The Associated Press. “I am asking you now to demonstrate once again to America that our relationship has improved to the point that we can act quickly and effectively deal with matters affecting the integrity of our great sport.”
Reached Saturday, Fehr said the union was not yet prepared to discuss Selig’s proposal.
Interesting. It’s ironic that Selig and the owners have ignored the obvious problem for decades and the union has stonewalled any enforcement and now they’re suddenly going to draconian levels of punishment.
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia.
Follow James on FriendFeed | Twitter | Digg
- None Found
- John McCain’s Acceptance Speech
- OTB Latenight - Madness
- Caption Contest Winners
- Rich Work More than the ‘Working Class’
- Why Don’t Politicians Write Their Own Speeches?
- Palin’s Speech Reax
- Caption Contest
- Obama’s Legislative Accomplishments (Updated)
- Sarah Palin’s Convention Speech
- Sarah Palin Video (R-Rated)
- Scared Monkeys linked with Selig On Steroids: THREE STRIKES AND YOUâRE OUT
- The Political Teen linked with MLB Steriod Use, First Offense is 50 Day Suspension
If amphetamines are banned for players under minor league contracts does that mean a drafted player who signs with the big club can use them while he's playing in the minors before he makes it to the show with no pentalty?
It's about time Selig got off his rear end.
'now they're suddenly going to draconian levels of punishment. '
Draconian? Seems about right to me.
Comments are Closed
