The Mitchell Report Fallout

By: Paul Lim
College Press Staff Writer

Last week, the much anticipated Mitchell Report pointed out over 80 Major League Baseball players (past and present) as steroid users.  These results prompted comments like “It's a slap on the hand. The report proved nothing. It just proved what we already knew” from former All-Star Jose Canseco, also on the Mitchell Report.

George Mitchell, former Senator from Maine and chairman of the investigation, says of the findings, “The illegal use of performance-enhancing substances poses a serious threat to the integrity of the game.”  He also says, harkening back to the Barry Bonds/Homerun hype, and that the results will “raises questions about the validity of baseball records.”

One of the first players to admit to using is Yankees Pitcher Andy Pettitte.  Pettitte, who just renewed his contract with the Yankees says that he used human growth hormones for two days in order to speed up recovery on an elbow injury.  “If what I did was an error in judgment on my part, I apologize,” Pettitte said in a statement.

The report suggests sweeping reforms of the current MLB drug testing policy, especially utilizing an independent agency to administer the testing.  MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has also indicated he is interested in developing a new drug testing policy.  Selig took a tip from the Mitchell Report regarding a less than 24-hour notice on drug testing.  He said in an interview on Chicago's WMVP-AM 1000, “We're going to tighten this program every conceivable way we can.”

Some players are already fighting back denying claims made against them.  Seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens already has an attorney to defend him against the claims.  “It is very unfair to include Roger's name in this report. He is left with no meaningful way to combat what he strongly contends are totally false allegations,” and “That is totally wrong,” says Rusty Hardin, attorney for Roger Clemens.  According to Mitchell, every player who was implicated was asked to meet to discuss their side, Clemens did not respond to the request.

Mitchell defended the authenticity of the findings by saying, “Several of the witnesses were interviewed in the presence of federal law-enforcement agents who informed the witnesses that if they made false statements they would subject themselves to possible criminal jeopardy. So there was very strong incentives to tell the truth.”

Fellow Yankee, Alex Rodriguez said on the CBS Evening News, “If anything comes of this, (I) would be extremely disappointed. I mean it would be a huge black eye on the game of baseball,” he explains, “They [The Fans] want to know the truth and I think in this George Mitchell investigation ... maybe they will get what they want.”

“The Canadian Press” reports a chilling effect on sports fans and that this report does not really affect their opinion of the athletes.  Much like Canseco’s quote, “It just proved what we already knew.”  With the BALCO scandal, Barry Bonds and the homerun record, Marion Jones and her steroid intrigue, and countless other stories, some believe this “Steroid Era” has created a new standard in sports.  From “The Canadian Press”, “I really think, over the last decade, that we've been so inundated with athletes using performance-enhancing drugs that nobody is shocked by this report,” said Eric Bronson, a sociology professor at Quinnipiac University.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino remarked on the President’s opinion on the matter, “The president hopes that this report marks the beginning of the end of steroid abuse.”  President Bush is a former owner of the Texas Rangers.