When Did Baseball Start Testing For Steroids?

Steroids have been a hot topic in baseball for many years now. Some players have been accused of using them to gain an advantage, while others have been caught using them despite the risks. But when did baseball start testing for steroids?

Introduction

Baseball has a long and storied history, dating back to the late 1800s. The game has undergone many changes over the years, including the addition of new rules, new players, and new technologies. One of the most controversial topics in recent years has been the use of performance-enhancing drugs, or PEDs.

These drugs have been used by players in an effort to gain an edge over their opponents. However, their use has also been linked to numerous health risks. In order to protect the integrity of the game and the safety of its players, baseball began testing for steroids in 2003.

Early suspicions of steroid use in baseball

Steroid use in baseball has been an issue of public concern for many years. Some of the earliest suspicions were raised in the 1980s, when players like Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire were setting new records for home run hitting. In 1998, McGwire’s fellow slugger Sammy Sosa also broke the record, leading to renewed suspicion and media scrutiny. In 2001, Canseco wrote a tell-all book about his own steroid use and named other players who he said were using performance-enhancing drugs.

The public outcry that followed led to increased testing for steroids in baseball, but it was not until 2005 that a formal testing program was put into place. Since then, several high-profile players have been suspended for steroid use, including Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun. While the problem of steroids in baseball appears to be under control, it is still an issue of concern for many fans and observers.

The Mitchell Report

Opinion is divided on exactly when baseball began to paying closer attention to the problem of steroids in the sport. Some say that it was when players started hitting home runs at unprecedented rates in the late 1990s, while others point to the publication of the Mitchell Report in 2007 as the key moment.

The Mitchell Report was commissioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and released in December 2007. It detailed the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) by players in MLB, and named 89 individuals who had used steroids or other PEDs during their careers.

The report led to a number of changes in MLB, including the introduction of random drug testing and harsher penalties for those caught using PEDs. In addition, Several high-profile players were suspended or lost their jobs as a result of the report’s findings.

While it is difficult to pinpoint exactly when baseball began to take steroids seriously, it is clear that the release of the Mitchell Report was a key moment in the sport’s history.

MLB’s drug testing program

Since 2004, all Major League Baseball players have been subject to drug testing. However, the program has undergone a number of changes over the years in an effort to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of performance-enhancing drugs.

The first iteration of MLB’s drug testing program was put in place in 2004, and it was relatively basic. Players were only tested once during the season, and if they tested positive for a banned substance, they were subject only to a warning and counseling.

In 2005, the program was changed to include random, year-round testing, and players who tested positive were subject to a 10-game suspension. This was increased to a 25-game suspension in 2007. In 2014, the suspension for a first offense was increased to 80 games. Players found to be using banned substances a second time are suspended for 162 games (a whole season), and those caught using them a third time are permanently banned from baseball.

As of 2019, all MLB players are subjected to random drug tests throughout the season as well as during spring training. They are also tested for banned substances before the season begins. If they test positive for anything, they are immediately suspended without pay and can be reinstated only after they complete an approved drug treatment program.

The Biogenesis scandal

The Biogenesis scandal was a Major League Baseball (MLB) investigation led by Tony Bosch of the now-defunct Biogenesis of America, a Coral Gables, Florida anti-aging clinic. The inquiry initially centered on accusations that Bosch had illegally supplied performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) to professional baseball players, including Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun. In 2013, Bosch agreed to cooperate with MLB’s investigation and cooperate with MLB investigators by handing over evidence that linked many players to PEDs.

The scandal led to the suspension of 14 MLB players, including Rodriguez, who was suspended for the entire 2014 season.

Conclusion

Baseball has been played for well over a century, and testing for steroids is a relatively new phenomenon. While it’s impossible to know exactly when baseball players started using steroids, the first known instance of steroid use in baseball dates back to the early 1990s. Major League Baseball began testing for steroids in 2004, and the following year they instituted a suspension policy for players who tested positive.