Palmeiro Suspended for Steroids

[*MIBabe03*]

Palmeiro suspended for steroids
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Ronald Blum / Associated Press
Posted: 32 minutes ago



Rafael Palmeiro jabbed his finger in the air for emphasis and raised voice with all the indignation of a man falsely accused.

"I have never used steroids. Period," he told a congressional panel in March.
On Monday, nearly five months later, the Baltimore Orioles slugger became baseball's highest-profile player to be suspended 10 days for using steroids.

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Palmeiro releases statement



While he didn't deny testing positive for the drugs, he insisted that ingesting them was an accident.

"When I testified in front of Congress, I know that I was testifying under oath and I told the truth," he said during a telephone conference call Monday. "Today I am telling the truth again that I did not do this intentionally or knowingly."

The 40-year-old Palmeiro became the seventh player to fail a test under the toughened major league policy that took effect in March, rules criticized by Congress as not being stringent enough.

On July 15, Palmeiro joined Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as the only players with 3,000 hits and 500 homers. Baseball would not say when the positive test occurred.

Without giving specifics, the four-time All-Star left the impression that the banned substance was contained in a supplement that was not prescribed. He said it was an "embarrassing situation" and still did not know what caused the positive test.

"Why would I do this in a year when I went in front of Congress and I testified and I told the truth?" he said. "Why would I do this during a season where I was going to get to 3,000 hits? It just makes no sense. ... I'm not a crazy person."

Palmeiro, who is currently in 9th place on the all-time home runs list with 569, wouldn't predict whether his chances of being elected to the Hall of Fame were damaged.

"Really, that's not for me to determine," he said. "I hope that people look at my whole career and appreciate that I've given everything that I've got. ... I respect the Hall of Fame, and if they think that I'm worthy enough, I would be very honored. And if they don't, I gave it all that I had to this game."

Appearing with Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and other baseball stars before a congressional committee on March 17, Palmeiro made an opening statement in which he said, pointing his finger for emphasis: "Let me start by telling you this: I have never used steroids. Period. I don't know how to say it any more clearly than that. Never."

Palmeiro also expressed indignation over accusations made by former slugger Jose Canseco, who cited Palmeiro as a steroid user in his tell-all book. In an interview on the CBS television show "60 Minutes," Canseco - who also testified before Congress - said he had injected Palmeiro with steroids.

Besides condemning steroid use during his appearance before Congress, Palmeiro also took part via conference call in a round-table discussion last month about how to rid sports of steroids with members of Congress and representatives from the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball.

Christopher Shays of Connecticut, the No. 2 Republican on the committee that investigated steroids in baseball, said in a telephone interview: "He ended up being the most outspoken against steroid use and even this guy is in a situation where he's been suspended. It just blows me away. Obviously, it calls into question every accomplishment he's had."

It wasn't clear whether Palmeiro's test was taken before or after he spoke before the congressional panel. Anyone who lies under oath could be potentially subject to criminal perjury charges; Congress has the option of referring the case to the Justice Department, which would decide whether it's worth pursuing.

The players' association challenged the positive test in secret proceedings, and the penalty was held in abeyance until arbitrator Shyam Das decided Monday not to overturn it.

Palmeiro will lose $163,934 of his $3 million salary during the suspension. Because the penalty was delayed, it meant at least one member of baseball's management-union medical panel initially found there was a "reasonable basis" for the challenge.

The panel, in a statement released by the union, said Palmeiro could not prove the positive test "was not due to his fault or negligence." It also concluded, however, that Palmeiro's testimony was "quite compelling," and it did not find reason to believe he was lying.


Earlier this year, Rafael Palmeiro was celebrated. Now, he's been suspended. (Gail Burton / Associated Press)

President Bush - who owned the Texas Rangers while Palmeiro played for the team - called Palmeiro a "friend" in a round-table interview with reporters from several Texas newspapers. "He's testified in public, and I believe him," Bush added.

Palmeiro sounded contrite on the conference call, saying he hoped there was something to be gained from his suspension by educating players to be more careful about what they put in their bodies.

"I made a mistake and I'm facing it," he said. "I hope that people learn from my mistake and I hope that the fans forgive me."

Union head Donald Fehr said the suspension "should serve to dispel doubts about our determination to rid baseball of illegal steroids, or the strength or effectiveness of our testing program."

Baltimore manager Lee Mazzilli said his players were "a little disappointed" but wanted to support their teammate.

"The timing obviously is not good," said Mazzilli, whose team has lost 12 of the last 13 games. "We're going to have to make do right now. We're going to have to band together as a team and fight through it."

Associated Press writers David Ginsburg in Baltimore and Howard Fendrich in Washington contributed to this story.

[moeee]

Originally Posted by *MIBabe03*

While he didn't deny testing positive for the drugs, he insisted that ingesting them was an accident.

"When I testified in front of Congress, I know that I was testifying under oath and I told the truth," he said during a telephone conference call Monday. "Today I am telling the truth again that I did not do this intentionally or knowingly.

Bulls*it!

[Brian Damage]

Once a cheater always a cheater.

[Sargent Stewie]

Wow, another thing to keep the Orioles losing streak going.

[Jrnygrl]

BUSTED!

He lied to Congress under oath, that is perjury. Martha Stewart had to go to jail because she lied, I think Mr. Palmero need to go too.

[Dr. Jazz]

Originally Posted by Jrnygrl

BUSTED!

He lied to Congress under oath, that is perjury. Martha Stewart had to go to jail because she lied, I think Mr. Palmero need to go too.

It said on the news that he is not at risk for perjury because the steroid test that he tested positive for was administered a couple months after he testified before congress.

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jazz

It said on the news that he is not at risk for perjury because the steroid test that he tested positive for was administered a couple months after he testified before congress.

He lucked out there.

[Jrnygrl]

Originally Posted by DallasCowboysFanatic

He lucked out there.

[theshark8777]

WASHINGTON -- Congress will investigate whether baseball slugger Rafael Palmeiro perjured himself when he told a House committee that he hadn't taken steroids.

With the player's consent, Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, and the committee's ranking Democrat, Rep. Henry Waxman of California, asked Major League Baseball on Wednesday to turn over information about the failed drug test that resulted in a 10-day suspension for Palmeiro this week.

On March 17, Palmeiro appeared before their panel and said under oath: "I have never used steroids. Period."

"As a practical matter, perjury referrals are uncommon," Davis told The Associated Press. "Prosecutions are rare. But this is a high-profile case, so I think it will get an honest look-see. I don't think anyone can avoid it.

"If we did nothing," he added, "I think we'd look like idiots. Don't you?"

Palmeiro, who plays for the Baltimore Orioles, tested positive for the powerful steroid stanozolol, a person with knowledge of the sport's drug-testing program told the AP on condition of anonymity. The person did not want to be identified because the sport prohibits disclosure of test results without authorization.

The positive test came after Palmeiro's appearance before Congress but before he recorded his 3,000th hit last month. That means he reached the milestone -- joining Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as the only players in major league history with 3,000 hits and 500 homers -- after he knew about the positive results, the source told the AP.

When the suspension was announced Monday, Palmeiro stood by his statements to Congress and said he didn't know what caused the positive test.

Stanozolol is what sprinter Ben Johnson of Canada tested positive for when he was stripped of his gold medal and world record in the 100 meters at the 1988 Olympics. It is not available in over-the-counter supplements and is known as a powerful strength-builder.

"It's hard for me to reconcile that someone doesn't know that they have steroids in their body. I'm extraordinarily skeptical," said committee member Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn.

"It obviously was disappointing and a little unsettling that the one person so emphatic about not taking steroids was one of the first since then to be disciplined."

Rather than relying on news reports, Davis said, Congress will wait to see what it learns from the information baseball provides.

"How long does this stuff stay in the system? All of that. We're going to look at that to see what the probabilities are," Davis said.

The lawmakers asked for the complete results of all drug tests taken by Palmeiro, including what was detected and how much. During a telephone conversation with Davis on Tuesday night, Palmeiro agreed to have baseball release that information to Congress.

"He was pretty adamant about the point he didn't do anything," Davis said. "He also remarked he didn't have a lot of time to enjoy his 3,000th hit. There was an allusion to that."

They spoke for about three minutes and Palmeiro had attorneys on the phone with him, Davis said.

"What we are concerned about, obviously, is the integrity of the committee process when we swear people in. We have an obligation to look further into it, and I explained that to him, and he said he understood," the congressman said.

In confirming that he would cooperate with the committee, Palmeiro said in a statement that if it has any additional questions, "I am ready and willing to answer each and every one of them."

Baseball spokesman Rich Levin said the documents would be released as requested "in a timely manner," but did not give specifics and did not know if they would be made public once received.

The No. 2 official in the players' association, Gene Orza, declined comment when asked whether the union was concerned about Palmeiro's willingness to supply information. The union fought hard to protect the confidentiality of those involved in the testing process.

Palmeiro's agent Arn Tellum, however, is not happy with MLB's conduct.

"The confidentiality rules that the arbitrator set in this case have been broken by MLB," Tellum said in a statement. "Rafael has respected the rules by not discussing the specifics, but unfortunately MLB has not done the same. What MLB has done is outrageous and it undermines the integrity of their drug testing program. There is another side to this story, and Raffy will tell it soon. I hope that the public will wait to make a final judgment about Rafael until they hear his story in its entirety."

Rob Manfred, MLB executive VP, labor relations & human resources, differs with Tellum's assessment.

"Major League Baseball respected the confidentiality order that was imposed and the only one that has been talking about the facts of this case is Rafael Palmeiro," Manfred said in a statement.

Davis was critical of commissioner Bud Selig, the union and the sport's steroid policy at the March hearing. He and Waxman have proposed legislation that would establish uniform drug programs and punishments in the major U.S. professional sports.

But Davis praised baseball's handling of the Palmeiro case.

"He did get an appeal under this procedure. He filed it. And obviously they didn't cut him any slack," Davis said. "I'm satisfied that baseball proceeded as they said they would."

Among the questions that Congress can't answer are what all of this will mean for Palmeiro's Hall of Fame candidacy.

One of Palmeiro's former teams, the Texas Rangers, canceled a planned ceremony before Friday night's game against the Orioles to honor him for reaching 3,000 hits. Major league rules don't allow suspended players on the field after batting practice.

[Brad Russ]

Seattle Mariner's pitcher Ryan Franklin, also tested positive for steroids. It's amazing how players can be so stupid, and still take steroids, even with the new testing, and punishments being laid out. I wonder who will be the next player to be caught??

[TJL]

"I didn't know I was doing anything wrong."

The new get out of jail free card.

[Janice]

.