Post by Fish Troll on Sept 16, 2007 21:37:20 GMT -5
MLB hopes to have blood test for HGH next season
Updated 9h 27m ago
By Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY
Major League Baseball, declaring its drug-testing program is stronger than even the Olympics' curriculum, hopes to have a blood test available next season that will catch players using human growth hormone.
"We're cautiously optimistic," said Gary Green, a UCLA doctor and consultant for MLB. "Talking to the commissioner (Bud Selig), if the test becomes widely available, he certainly would be in favor of getting that implemented."
The blood test, developed under the oversight of the World Anti-Doping Agency, was used on a limited basis in the 2004 and '06 Olympics. Now it will be available for mass use within months, said Olivier Rabin, WADA director of science. "This is great news," he said, "because we strongly believe that human growth hormone is abused in sports."
Use of the blood test would have to be collectively bargained with the MLB players union, which did not want to publicly comment.
"If there is a valid blood test," MLB spokesman Rich Levin said, "I'm sure baseball will consider it."
The NFL said it is not aware of the test. Union chief Gene Upshaw said he is opposed to blood testing: "There's no way I'm having my guys punched for a blood test every time they walk into a locker room."
If the HGH test kits are developed by December, Green said, it could take several months for MLB to ensure their accuracy.
Rob Manfred, MLB's chief labor lawyer, says baseball's policy is the best in American sports because of its stringent standards in detecting testosterone. But Gary Wadler, a leading expert, says MLB falls short in the frequency of tests and scope of banned substances.
Updated 9h 27m ago
By Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY
Major League Baseball, declaring its drug-testing program is stronger than even the Olympics' curriculum, hopes to have a blood test available next season that will catch players using human growth hormone.
"We're cautiously optimistic," said Gary Green, a UCLA doctor and consultant for MLB. "Talking to the commissioner (Bud Selig), if the test becomes widely available, he certainly would be in favor of getting that implemented."
The blood test, developed under the oversight of the World Anti-Doping Agency, was used on a limited basis in the 2004 and '06 Olympics. Now it will be available for mass use within months, said Olivier Rabin, WADA director of science. "This is great news," he said, "because we strongly believe that human growth hormone is abused in sports."
Use of the blood test would have to be collectively bargained with the MLB players union, which did not want to publicly comment.
"If there is a valid blood test," MLB spokesman Rich Levin said, "I'm sure baseball will consider it."
The NFL said it is not aware of the test. Union chief Gene Upshaw said he is opposed to blood testing: "There's no way I'm having my guys punched for a blood test every time they walk into a locker room."
If the HGH test kits are developed by December, Green said, it could take several months for MLB to ensure their accuracy.
Rob Manfred, MLB's chief labor lawyer, says baseball's policy is the best in American sports because of its stringent standards in detecting testosterone. But Gary Wadler, a leading expert, says MLB falls short in the frequency of tests and scope of banned substances.
www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-09-12-hgh-blood-test_N.htm
