THG banned by baseball

Selig wants to test for newly discovered steroid

? Major league baseball has banned THG, the recently unmasked steroid at the center of the case against the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative.

The health policy advisory committee of management and the players’ association unanimously determined last Thursday that THG builds muscle mass and should be added to baseball’s list of banned substances.

“Testing for THG is an important step toward reaching our goal of zero tolerance,” baseball commissioner Bud Selig said. “I am committed to that goal and advocate a more stringent and effective drug-testing program in the major leagues, similar to our program in the minor leagues.”

The Food and Drug Administration ruled Oct. 28 that THG, which stands for tetrahydrogestrinone, was an illegal drug that lacked federal permission for sale in the United States.

Because baseball and other sports did not know about THG before last October, drug testing was unable to detect it.

“I don’t care,” Minnesota Twins outfielder Jacque Jones said. “I don’t take any of that stuff so it doesn’t matter to me what they ban.”

Barry Bonds’ personal trainer, Greg Anderson, was among four men indicted last month on charges of illegally supplying performance-enhancing drugs from BALCO. All four pleaded innocent.

Bonds, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield were among the athletes called to testify before a grand jury. All have denied using illegal steroids.

Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of the male hormone testosterone. Some are approved by FDA for prescription-only sale to treat certain diseases.

Selig told a Congressional committee last week that he hoped to have a tougher testing plan than the one called for in baseball’s labor contract.

The plan has drawn some criticism. Players with major league contracts are tested only twice in a one-week period each year, and penalties — no suspension until the second offense — are far weaker than those called for in Olympic sports. Players with minor league contracts, who are not covered by the labor contract, are tested more often.