Baseball Is to Begin Blood Testing for H.G.H.

[alp227]

Source: NYT

Major League Baseball’s owners and players are close to completing a new collective bargaining agreement that for the first time will include blood testing for human growth hormone, according to two people in baseball briefed on the matter. The testing will be a significant step for baseball, allowing it to move ahead of other professional sports leagues, including the N.F.L., in confronting the troublesome issue of a drug that has long evaded detection.

The bargaining agreement, which could be announced early next week, calls for blood testing to begin in February, when players report to spring training. Players who test positive will face a 50-game suspension, which will be the same as the first-time penalty for a positive steroid test, according to the two people.

The two people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were discussing an agreement that has not been formally announced.

Baseball will be the first of the major North American professional sports to do any type of blood testing for drugs among their unionized players. In 2010, baseball introduced blood testing for H.G.H. on minor league players because the step could be taken without the consent of the union.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/20/sports/baseball/baseball-is-to-begin-blood-testing-for-hgh.html

[Kingofalldems]

1. Excellent.

Will be interesting to see if any stars have a big performance drop-off in 2012.

[SoapBox]

2. Ditto to the excellant...

Time to get back to the game...and stop trying to turn yourself into a gorilla.

[quakerboy]

3. So in other words

There must be a new product on the market that accomplishes the same goals without showing up on that drug test, or a new way of hiding your results?

[Omaha Steve]

4. Baseball Deal Includes HGH Testing, $480k Minimum

Source: AP-Excite

By RONALD BLUM

NEW YORK (AP) - Baseball's new labor contract will include blood testing for human growth hormone, a rise in the minimum salary to $480,000 and luxury taxes on both amateur draft signings and international free agents coming to the major leagues.

Lawyers for players and owners are working to complete a memorandum of understanding on changes to sport's collective bargaining agreement and hope to sign the deal by Tuesday. A person familiar with the negotiations disclosed some of the agreed-upon provisions to The Associated Press on Saturday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced.

The blood testing provision was first reported by The New York Times.

Blood testing for human growth hormone will start when players report to spring training in February, putting MLB ahead of the NFL. The NFL wanted to start HGH testing this season, following that sport's new labor contract, but the NFL Players Association has not agreed, causing some congressmen to pressure the union.


Read more: http://sports.excite.com/news/11192011/v9368.html

[Bonhomme Richard]

5. In my head 480K ought to be the maximum and that includes....

the owners.

[Ter]

6. We cheer blood testing because they are rich

What happens when they start doing random blood testing on city workers? No innocent person should ever be subjected to random blood testing. It's not the same as a urine test. The fascists will come for us sooner rather than later.

[alp227]

7. Well, baseball is a business and wants to ensure fair competition

thus they have the right to have a stimulant-use policy

[Ter]

8. I understand your concerns

But what happens when they start blood-testing for HGH for firefighers, policemen, and sanitation workers? It's certainly best that none of those use HGH. But blood testing a random person who isn't highly suspect, and who hates HGH and steroids, is totally wrong. I never used, and would hate if my job tested. Hell, I'd refuse and walk out.

[alp227]

9. Things is, how will such substances affect your job performance?

That's the motivation of companies to test for drugs in general, not just for HGH.

[Ter]

10. Cops test for steroids in some cities

They don't want it in the force, probably for rage and because it's illegal. That's just a simple urine test, however. HGH is blood only, for now at least.