Ok, call me a whiner, but I have a question: did any independent anti-doping agency procure a blood and urine sample from Barry Bonds last night after he hit his 755th home run? Maybe they did and I just don’t understand how baseball drug monitoring works. I think the United States Anti-Doping Agency should have tested Mr. Bonds and should take his home-run record away if it is discovered that he used performance-enhancing drugs. After all, if WADA and the UCI test cyclists who win races (after each race, mind you), why shouldn’t baseball players be tested after setting performance records?
Are baseball players subjected to random drug testing 24-hours per day, 365 days per year? Do they have to notify their teams or the baseball officials of their whereabouts so that random drug testing can be enforced? Are baseball players required to pay back their entire annual salary if they are caught doping? Do they receive a two-year suspension from the game after their first drug offense? Do they receive a lifetime ban from the sport after their second offense? To my knowledge, the answer to all these questions is “no.”
If Americans are serious about teaching their children to be drug-free; if they want their kids to “just say no to drugs,” maybe Americans should implement tough doping standards for baseball. After all, it is “America’s favorite pastime” and the source of many role models for America’s youth.
Just a thought from a whiny cycling fan.
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