MLB, NFL Seek Information After DEA's Steroid Bust

MLB, NFL To Seek Information On Recent Steroid Raid

After announcing the "largest steroid bust in U.S. history," the DEA indicated that "more than MLB, the NFL or Olympics," it is focused on China, where many of the drugs were allegedly produced, according to Dick Patrick of USA TODAY.  DEA spokesperson Rusty Payne: "We're targeting the source of supply for all the steroids and [HGH] in the U.S., and 99.9% of it is coming from China." Payne, on whether the DEA will eventually share information from the operation with sports organizations, "We don't know yet. It's going to take time to work these issues out. We're still evaluating what the heck we have. ...These are decisions that just aren't going to be made in the next 48 hours of the next week" (USA TODAY, 9/25). MLB and NFL officials said that they "would seek information from the investigation that connected any of their players to performance-enhancing drugs" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/25).  MLB Senior VP/PR Rich Levin said MLB was being "proactive" in seeking information from federal investigators, but he declined to describe "the nature of the contacts" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/25). ESPN The Magazine’s Shaun Assael, on whether or not athletes' names will surface in connection to the bust: “Right now there is no evidence, but the law of averages suggest there has to be some names in there. … If there are the thousands of names they say they have and they are just now sorting through it, I think we have to stay tuned. ...  We have not heard the last of this” (ESPNews, 9/24). YAHOO SPORTS' Dan Wetzel writes the NFL and MLB "must gain access to the database and run the names of their players, coaches, doctors, trainers and other personnel. Perhaps the NCAA ought to do it, too." An MLB official said that "if there is a way for baseball to get access to the names, it will do it." Asked if the NFL would pursue the information NFL Senior VP/PR Greg Aiello said, "I think it's a valid question considering the vigor with which the commissioner sought names of NFL players and personnel on the list seized in the Signature Pharmacy raid" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 9/24). 

Pound Wants To See Client List Of Busted Steroid Labs

OLYMPIC EFFECT: USADA CEO Travis Tygart indicated that "the evidence he has seen suggests the list of people who received performance-enhancing drugs does not include athletes expected to represent the U.S." at the '08 Beijing Olympics (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 9/24).  But WADA Chair Dick Pound indicated that "he would be surprised if Olympic athletes were not among clients of the 56 labs." Pound "hopes the DEA can turn over a list of names in time for WADA to take action against them," before the '08 Games.  Pound added, "It is too early to tell whether this could be an embarrassment for [Chinese Olympic officials]" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/25).