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-------- Original Message --------
July
10, 2002
For immediate release
Contact: American College of Sports Medicine Communications and Public Information Department Gail N. Hunt Christa Dickey (317) 637-9200
AmericanCollege of Sports Medicine Calls for Steroid Testing in Major League Baseball: Focus Is On Health Impact Steroid Use Has On Big League Players and the Youth They Influence
Indianapolis - Last night's All Star Game may have been inconclusive, but there is no divided result among sports medicine physicians and scientists on the subject of eliminating steroid use in big league baseball. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) today called for random steroid testing of players in Major League Baseball. It was noted that according to a USA Today poll released earlier this week, more than 79 percent of the players agree with testing for steroids, as do club owners and Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig. Concerned about the health of the big league players as well as the millions of youth they influence, ACSM says testing for steroid use should begin as soon as possible.
In the midst of a much-scrutinized season since former MVPs Ken Caminiti and Jose Canseco admitted steroid use, sports medicine physicians are reporting an alarming increase in steroid use or inquiries regarding steroid use among their patients, particularly in young athletes looking to emulate the performance of their major-league heroes.
"Baseball is our national pastime, and baseball players are, for many youngsters, national heroes. When Mark McGwire admitted androstenedione (andro) use during his 1998 home-run record season, the sales of this supplement skyrocketed among young athletes. There is serious concern that a similar pattern of abuse will occur in young athletes with respect to anabolic steroids," said Gary I. Wadler, M.D., FACSM, a sports medicine physician who serves on the Health, Medical and Research Committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and is a leading authority on doping in sports. "This is not just a baseball issue, but more importantly, this is a significant public health issue when it affects our youth."
Anabolic steroid use has been implicated in early heart disease, including sudden death, the increase of bad cholesterol profiles (increased LDL, lower HDL), an increase in tendon injuries, liver tumors, testicular atrophy, gynecomastia (abnormal enlargement of breasts in males), male pattern baldness, severe acne, premature closure of growth plates in adolescents, emotional disturbances and other significant health risks.
In its Position Stand, "The Use of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids in Sports," ACSM deplores the use of these drugs among athletes. (To read a copy of this Position Stand, please visit http://www.acsm-msse.org)
"The increased use of steroids among young people is shocking; more than a half million young athletes have used the drug at some point," said Lewis G. Maharam, M.D., FACSM and president of ACSM's Greater New York Chapter. "We must replace the dangerous myths some professional baseball players are creating that steroids are a safe way to improve performance. They aren't. With the momentum started by Major League Baseball owners, the Commissioner, and the vast majority of the players, ACSM calls for the rapid adoption of random steroid testing to protect the future health of pro players and the young athletes they influence."
The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 18,000 International, National and Regional members are dedicated to promoting and integrating scientific research, education and practical applications of sports medicine and exercise science to maintain and enhance physical performance, fitness, health and quality of life.
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