Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Players agree to steroid tests

Union proposal, though less extensive than owners', is praised by the owners' top labor lawyer.

©Associated Press
August 8, 2002

NEW YORK -- Players ended decades of opposition to mandatory drug testing Wednesday by agreeing to be checked for illegal steroids starting next year.

Under the proposal, players would be subjected to one or more unannounced tests in 2003 to determine the level of steroid use. If the survey showed "insignificant" use, a second round of tests would be set up in 2004 to verify the results.

If more than 5 percent of the tests were positive in either survey, players would be randomly tested for two years.

The union did not say what penalties, if any, would be levied against players who test positive for steroids.

"We had an obligation to bargain on it. It was a serious issue," union head Donald Fehr said. "It took a lot of time and effort and thought."

Rob Manfred, the owners' top labor lawyer, called the proposal "very significant."

"It is the kind of proposal that will put us very easily on the path to a very timely agreement," he said.

He said a counterproposal could be ready today. The plan the owners put forth in February called for more extensive testing. Players would be tested three times a year for steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs and once a year for illegal drugs such as cocaine.

Former MVPs Jose Canseco and Ken Caminiti admitted steroid use earlier this year.

"As players, we want to be able to clear our name from what Caminiti and Canseco said," Toronto's Vernon Wells said. "Unfortunately, we have to prove our innocence. If none of that happened we wouldn't have to do this."

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright