One of the unspoken truths about the decline and fall of the Steroid Era was that it might not have declined or fell. Human growth hormone was reportedly one of the most used performance-enhancing drugs of the last decade, but there was no way to test for it effectively. It was only available via a blood test, and even then, it left the bloodstream too quickly.
Report: Baseball expanding HGH testing
The MLBPA and MLB agree to unannounced, in-season blood tests .
Patrick McDermott
The only way to test for HGH with a modicum of efficacy was to use random, unannounced testing. And according to CBSSports.com, that’s exactly what the Players Association and Major League Baseball have agreed to.
Beginning this season, MLB will conduct random, unannounced, in-season blood testing for HGH. MLB will also keep detailed records on T/E (testosterone to epitestosterone) ratios to combat questions about testosterone levels.
This is a huge concession by the MLBPA, which, several years ago, was opposed to any blood testing. Baseball becomes the first major sport to conduct unannounced blood tests for HGH.
As fans and writers hound the NFL, though, surely this will become common across all professional sports.
Hahahaha, just kidding. But it’s the standard in baseball now, and it should at least help foster perceptions that the Steroid Era is, if not totally over, seriously wounded.
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