SI: A-Rod Tests Positive For Steroids in 03

Sports Illustrated was given a list of individuals who tested positive for steroids in the 2003 Major League Baseball season- one of the 104 names released was Alex Rodriguez.

Four separate sources corroborated the report given SI.

In 2003, the testing administered by MLB was done so anonymously since there was no uniformed policy for the league. It was done to determine whether or not the league should actually have a testing policy since it was widely thought that usage was rampant by its athletes.

Duh...

So, now we've gone from "A-Fraud" to "A-Roid...?"
Guess so...
Surprised...? Guess not...

The New York Yankees star has long denied using performance-enhancing drugs. He declined to discuss the tests when approached by SI on Thursday at a gym in Miami.

"You'll have to talk to the union," he said.

((What...? He'd own up to something like that right off the top...?))

Major League Baseball and the players' union issued statements Saturday, refusing to confirm or deny the report, citing player confidentiality.

An e-mail from the Associated Press to Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, was not immediately returned. The Yankees and Rangers declined comment.

Rodriguez's name appears on a list of 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in a 2003 baseball survey, SI said. He reportedly tested positive for Primobolan and testosterone.

In a December 2007 interview with 60 Minutes, three days after George Mitchell's report on drugs in the sport was released, Rodriguez denied using performance-enhancing drugs.

Here's a segment of that interview with Katie Couric where Rodriguez denies any steroid use, denies ever being tempted to use, and who the home run king is...

((HT: CBS News))

Said the union: "Information and documents relating to the results of the 2003 MLB testing program are both confidential and under seal by court orders."

"Anyone with knowledge of such documents who discloses their contents may be in violation of those court orders," the union added.

Baseball's drug policy prohibited the use of steroids without a valid prescription since 1991, but there were no penalties for a positive test in 2003.

SI reported Rodriguez's testing information was found after federal agents, with search warrants, seized the 2003 results from Comprehensive Drug Testing, Inc., in Long Beach, California.

That was one of two labs used by baseball in connection with the testing. The seizure in April 2004 was part of the government's investigation into 10 baseball players linked to the BALCO scandal, the magazine reported. Rodriguez has not been connected to BALCO.

Primobolan, also known as methenolone, is an injected or orally administered drug. It improves strength and maintains lean muscle with minimal bulk development and few side effects. Bonds tested positive three times for methenolone, according to court documents unsealed by a federal judge Wednesday.

Primobolan is not an approved prescription drug in the United States.

Selena Roberts and David Epstein's piece is in black and is certain to leave a black eye...
Larry Smith discusses for CNN...