The World Baseball Classic is near and Spring Training games are less 24 hours away, Major League Baseball is truly on center stage in 2009.
In another attention grabber, World Anti-Doping Agency Chief John Fahey wants Major League Baseball and its players to come clean. He has addressed baseball’s steroid issue and has called on the organization to be as open as possible in light of the most recent issues involving MLB’s poster boy Alex Rodriguez.
WADA President John Fahey was quoted on February 24 stating that “”Ultimately, the public is happy with transparency — whatever you are, whoever you are,”. With respect to Alex Rodriguez and his admission to abusing steroids while playing for the Texas Rangers in 2001-2003, Fahey states, “is surely a reminder to the MLB that something is not right. “And in the long term for the health of this sport, can they ignore it?” he asked.
On February 9, 2009 two days after a article in Sports Illustrated announced that there were 104 players who tested positive during baseball’s anonymous 2003 survey, was when A-Rod made his admission.
One of the issues facing the majority of sports today is gaining back the fans trust. Every article, every report, every page turned is showing sports in a bad light, from steroids to DUI’s. What baseball needs to do is come clean and admit mistakes. Baseball Union Head Donald Fehr, is taking another approach, “”we fixed the problem and we need to look forward.” Donald Fehr also stated that the Players Union will try to keep the list confidential. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is deciding whether prosecutors may use the samples and data, seized during raids in April 2004 (according to the Associated Press)
During a recent conference at the Olympic Museum, former WADA President Dick Pound said, that cooperation between MLB and WADA is improving. According to Fahey, the lines of communication have been very open “There does not seem to be any resistance on their part now as there was in the previous years and there is none from us.”
Especially in these trying economic times, baseball does not need another black eye. All sports fans remember the strike in 1994 and that damage it did to the game. Admissions have been far and few between and the only way for the game to correct itself and bring back the fans it has lost is, admit the mistakes and evolve.
Devon Teeple is a staff member of the Business of Sports Network which includes the Biz of Baseball, the Biz of Football, the Biz of Basketball and the Biz of Hockey. He is also a intern with the Football Outsiders and collaborator with the Plymouth River Eels. Devon is available as a freelance writer and be contacted via email at thegmsperspective@gmail.com or devon@businessofsportsnetwork.com
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