Chapter[ III. The Governing Laws and Baseball Policies Regarding Possession or Use
of Performance Enhancing Substances ]
Section[ Introduction ]
III. The Governing Laws and Baseball Policies Regarding Possession or Use of Performance Enhancing Substances
There is a widespread misconception that the use of steroids and other
performance enhancing substances, such as human growth hormone, was not prohibited in Major
League Baseball before the inclusion of the joint drug program in the 2002 Basic Agreement. In
fact, as early as 1991 baseball’s drug policy expressly prohibited the use of “all illegal drugs and
controlled substances, including steroids or prescription drugs for which the individual … does
not have a prescription.”53 Even before then, however, the use of any prescription drug without a
valid prescription was prohibited in baseball, and even earlier under federal law. In 1971,
baseball’s drug policy required compliance with federal, state, and local drug laws and directed
baseball’s athletic trainers that anabolic steroids should only be provided to players under a
physician’s guidance.54
Contents
Prev
Next
Last
