Major League Baseball's drug policy—the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program—was established by agreement between the MLB Players Association and the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball in order to deter and end the use by baseball players of banned substances, including anabolic steroids and other illegal drugs, and to "provide for, in keeping with the overall purposes of the Program, an orderly, systematic, and cooperative resolution of any disputes that may arise concerning the existence, interpretation, or application" of the policy itself. The Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program was adopted in the Spring of 2006.
While HPAC can make recommendations to the Office of the Commissioner regarding punishment, it has no power to discipline players for violations of the drug policy, except to place them in the appropriate treatment programs. Such authority belongs to the Office of the Commissioner.
Contents |
Prohibited substances
Under the policy, all players are prohibited from using, possessing, selling, facilitating the sale of, distributing, or facilitating the distribution of any Drug of Abuse and/or Steroid. Any and all drugs or substances listed under Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act are considered drugs of abuse covered by the Program.
List of banned substances (not exhaustive)
Drugs of abuse
- Cocaine
- LSD
- Marijuana
- Opiates (e.g., heroin, codeine, morphine)
- MDMA (“Ecstasy”)
- GHB
- Phencyclidine (“PCP”)
Steroids
- Androstanediol
- Androstanedione
- Androstenediol
- Androstenedione
- Bolasterone
- Boldenone
- Calusterone
- Clenbuterol
- Clostebol
- Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone
- Desoxy-methyltestosterone
- ∆1-dihydrotestosterone
- 4-dihydrotestosterone
- Drostanolone
- Ethylestrenol
- Fluoxymesterone
- Formebolone
- Furazabol
- 13a-ethyl-17a-hydroxygon-4-en-3-one
- 4-hydroxytestosterone
- 4-hydroxy-19-nortestosterone
- Mestanolone
- Mesterolone
- Methandienone
- Methandriol
- Methenolone
- Methyltestosterone
- Mibolerone
- 17a-methyl-∆1-dihydrotestosterone
- Nandrolone
- Norandrostenediol
- Norandrostenedione
- Norbolethone
- Norclostebol
- Norethandrolone
- Oxandrolone
- Oxymesterone
- Oxymetholone
- Stanozolol
- Stenbolone
- Testolactone
- Testosterone
- Tetrahydrogestrinone
- Trenbolone
- Any salt, ester or ether of a drug or substance listed above; and
- Human Growth Hormone (aka HGH)
Stimulants
- Amfepramone (Diethylproprion)
- Amphetamine
- Amphetaminil
- Benzphetamine
- Chloroamphetamine
- Chlorphentermine
- Clobenzorex
- Clortermine
- Dimethylamphetamine
- Ephedrine (Ephedra)
- Ethylamphetamine
- Famprofazone
- Fencamfamine
- Fenethylline
- Fenfluramine
- Fenproporex
- Furfenorex
- Mefenorex
- Mesocarb
- Mephentermine
- Methylphenidate
- Modafinil
- Pemoline
- Phenpentermine
- Phentermine
- Prolintane
- Phendimetrazine (Phenmetrazine)
- Propylhexedrine
- Pyrovalerone
- Selegiline
Prohibited Substances may be added to the list only by the unanimous vote of HPAC, provided that the addition by the federal government of a substance to Schedule I, II, or III will automatically result in that substance being added to the list.
Testing for banned substances
Steroids
Testing is administered via scientifically-validated urine test.
During season play (beginning with Spring Training through the end of the Regular Season), all players will be randomly selected for testing at unannounced times for steroids once. The office of the Commissioner has the right during the season to administer additional random testing at unannounced times for steroids. The number of tests and the timing and schedule of these tests is determined by HPAC, and players are subject to any number of additional tests during the regular season.
Drugs of Abuse
Testing for drugs of abuse is not administered randomly, but on a basis of reasonable cause. If one of the HPAC panel members has evidence that a player has used, possessed, or sold banned substances in the last 12 months, they call a conference and discuss the evidence with the other members. If a majority vote to test the suspected player is reached, then testing will take place immediately, after no later than 48 hours. Brandon is the man
Testing procedure
Players are asked to thoroughly wash and dry their hands, and then select from at least three(3) sealed specimen collection cups. The player is to urinate into the cup under direct observation from the collector and carry it to the processing table. There must be at least 75ml of urine for a sufficient sample. If the player is unable to provide 75ml of urine, the collector must instruct the player to return in an hour, during which he can only drink 15 oz. of fluid in a sealed container(s) certified by the collector.
Testing protocols
Any test conducted under the Program will be considered “positive” under the following circumstances:
- If any substance identified in the test results meets the levels set forth below.
- A Player refuses or, without good cause, fails to take a test or refuses to cooperate with the testing process.
- A Player attempts to substitute, dilute, mask or adulterate a specimen sample or in any other manner alter a test.
Drugs of abuse
| Drug | Initial Test Level (ng/mL) | Confirmation Test Level (ng/mL) |
| Cocaine Metabolites | 300 | 150 |
| Opiates/Metabolites | 2000 | 2000 |
| Phencyclicdine (PCP) | 25 | 25 |
| Cannabinoids | 50 | 15 |
Steroids
A test is considered positive if any Steroid is present, except the presence of nandrolone, which is considered positive only if the level exceeds 2ng/ml.
Stimulants
The presence of a Stimulant shall be considered a positive only if the level exceeds 250 ng/ml, unless specified otherwise below:
| Drug | Confirmation Test Level (ng/mL) |
| Amfepramone (Diethylproprion) | 500 |
| Amphetaminil | 2000 |
| Chlorphentermine | 500 |
| Clortermine | 500 |
| Ephedrine | 10 |
| Methylphenidate | 1000 |
| Phenpentermine | 1000 |
| Phentermine | 500 |
Notification
HPAC immediately notifies the Player and the Club of the positive drug test result.
Clinical and administrative tracks
All players who enter the program are placed on the Clinical track, except when a player tests positive for steroids, does not comply with the initial evaluation, cooperate in his treatment, is convicted or pleads guilty or nolo contendre to the sale or use and prohibited substance, or participates in the sale or distribution of any banned substance. In that event, the player is placed in the Administrative Track. HPAC has the discretion to place a player in the Administrative Track in any other event, but not solely on the basis that the player is in an inpatient treatment program. Transfer to the Administrative track is contingent on a majority vote, and in the case of a tie, a fifth member must cast a vote based on reasonable cause and cannot consider past practice.
Salary retention
Players are entitled to salary retention for the first 30 days they are required to be in inpatient treatment or outpatient treatment that forces his absence from the Club, and half salary retention for the next thirty days, over the course of his career. However, players are not entitled to salary retention for any such period after 60 days during the course of his career.
Player evaluations
Players are required to be evaluated at least once by HPAC, to determine the proper treatment program. HPAC may decide that additional meetings and medical and/or toxicology examinations are required.
Confidentiality
The Office of the Commissioner, the Association, HPAC, Club personnel, and all of their members, affiliates, agents, consultants and employees, are prohibited from publicly disclosing information about the Player’s test results, Initial Evaluation, diagnosis, Treatment Program (including whether a Player is on either the Clinical or Administrative Track), prognosis or compliance with the Program.
Discipline
Failure to comply with treatment program
- First failure to comply: 15 to 25-day suspension or up to a $10,000 fine
- Second failure to comply: 25 to 50-day suspension or up to a $25,000 fine
- Third failure to comply: 50 to 75-day suspension or up to a $50,000 fine
- Fourth failure to comply: at least a one-year suspension or up to a $100,000 fine.
- Any subsequent failure(s) to comply: The level of the discipline will be determined by the Office of the Commissioner, consistent with the concept of progressive discipline.
All suspensions are without pay.
Positive steroid test results
- First positive test result: 50 game suspension
- Second positive test result: 100 game suspension
- Third positive test result: lifetime ban
All suspensions are without pay. In addition, a suspended player can be replaced on the active roster by another player. If a player is on the disabled list, the suspension is served while on the disabled list.
Appeals
Within 24 Hours of a positive test result, HPAC will notify the Player in question. He has two business days to inform HPAC that he intends to challenge the result. During that period, HPAC is prohibited from informing any other party of the positive test result. If no appeal is made, HPAC informs the Office of the Commissioner of the positive test result, and within 24 hours, the Office of the Commissioner will notify the Player and the Club of the disciplinary measure taken, effective immediately. The player can grieve any action taken, but such discipline will not be stayed while the grievance is pending.
HPAC can unanimously decide the appeal is without merit and continue with the discipline process. If the appeal is reasonably based, HPAC will notify the Commissioner of Baseball, who in turn will notify the Player and the Club within 24 of any disciplinary action taken, effective two businiess days after the notice is sent. If the player files a grievance with the discipline taken, the discipline will be stayed until the Arbitration Panel issues an award.
Conviction for use of prohibited substances
- First offense: 15 to 30-day suspension or up to a $10,000 fine
- Second offense: 30 to 90-day suspension or up to $50,000 fine
- Third offense: One year suspension or up to $100,000 fine
- Fourth offense: Two year suspension
- Any subsequent offense(s): The level of the discipline will be determined by the Office of the Commissioner, consistent with the concept of progressive discipline.
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
