Is Canseco very smart? I have read nothing except the harm that steroids do to the human body. I do not have enough interest in baseball to read the book, but I do think steroid use has just totally killed sports in general (although not everyone realizes it yet). Is there a serious argument that steroids are a positive thing?
I am an avid sports fan and baseball is one of my favorite sports that I follow. I am against the use of any artificial performance enhancing drugs - for all the usual reasons given.
Jose Canseco has had personal problems on and off the field. He recently served prison time for parole violations. Nevertheless, his body build suggest unnatural development. There is no reason not to believe him when states that he has used steroids. There is no reason not to believe that others in baseball have also used steroids on a systematic basis.
However, I do not fault the players whatsoever. Perhaps some of them should have been smarter and should have known better, but in the early days of steroid use, there was no prohibition against steroid use by baseball's ruling body. They turned a blind eye to the situation.
More recently, baseball has a drug policy that has been enforceable on the minor league level. It has been very successful. On the major league level, the players union has been an obstacle in an effective drug policy. But, I think they have come to their senses and have agreed to the policy that is in place in the minor leagues (however, I am not absolutely certain about this).
I think, if Congress is to get involved in this, they should give all professional baseball players immunity to testify and get to the bottom of the situation.
Once they know what the situation is, and if they think it wise, pass laws that all professional athletes can understand. In this way, we can ensure that all children who emulate these athletes can also understand. I am not a believer that Congress gets involved and make laws when the matter can be handled some other way. I think major league baseball should be able to handle the situation.
For members of Congress to grand stand or just trying to get publicity so that their constituents think they are working is not good.
I think it is imperative that the ruling bodies of each respective sport step up to th plate and come up with sound drug policies. Don't leave the athletes and the children that emulate them in the dark. The technology is available to enforce any drug policy - on any level - including any high school athletic program. |
