In the latest issue of Sports Illustrated, there is an article on Miguel Tejada and how differently steroid use is seen in in the DR as it is in the states. Here is a quote-
"Dominicans have an easy explanation for their collective shrug whenever the subject of steroids arises. They argue that just as stealing bread is not a crime when a man is starving, taking performance-enhancing drugs is acceptable when a player is desperate to get off an island where the poverty rate hovers around 40%. "Whats' wrong[in the U.S.]", says Fernando Mateo, president of Hispanics Across America, a New York-based advocacy group that lobbies Major League Baseball on Latino issues, "isn't so wrong there"."
"For baseball, fighting steroid use in the Dominican Republic has been like throwing punches underwater. The island that produced nearly 12% of the major leaguers on last year's Opening Day rosters and more than 20% of the All-Star starters last July, also produced one-third of the positive tests in the major and minor leagues in 2007."
"Though the summer and winter leagues have tested for steroids since 2004, the country's labor laws prohibited teams from suspending players who tested positive; violators were instead referred to counseling. But after intense lobbying by Major League Baseball, the Dominican government reinterpreted its laws. Starting this summer, players who test positive will face the same escalating 50-game, 100-game and permanent suspensions doled out by MLB."
Even though Miguel Tejada says he has never used steroids, he is facing the same perjury charges as Barry Bonds, with proof residing in two checks he wrote to then-A's teammate Adam Piatt for $3,100 and $3,200 to purchase Deca-Durbalin and HGH in March 2003 from Kirk Radomski, the personal trainer and former New York Mets clubhouse attendant.
Questions-
So, is this laissez-faire attitude towards steroids really common among dominicans?
Do any of you think Miguel Tejada is lying?
Since Tejada was already in the majors and a wealthy man when he allegedly purchased these steroids, should the lackadaisical cultural attitude towards steroids be used as an excuse for such behavior?
Feel free to toss in any thoughts related to these topics.
"Dominicans have an easy explanation for their collective shrug whenever the subject of steroids arises. They argue that just as stealing bread is not a crime when a man is starving, taking performance-enhancing drugs is acceptable when a player is desperate to get off an island where the poverty rate hovers around 40%. "Whats' wrong[in the U.S.]", says Fernando Mateo, president of Hispanics Across America, a New York-based advocacy group that lobbies Major League Baseball on Latino issues, "isn't so wrong there"."
"For baseball, fighting steroid use in the Dominican Republic has been like throwing punches underwater. The island that produced nearly 12% of the major leaguers on last year's Opening Day rosters and more than 20% of the All-Star starters last July, also produced one-third of the positive tests in the major and minor leagues in 2007."
"Though the summer and winter leagues have tested for steroids since 2004, the country's labor laws prohibited teams from suspending players who tested positive; violators were instead referred to counseling. But after intense lobbying by Major League Baseball, the Dominican government reinterpreted its laws. Starting this summer, players who test positive will face the same escalating 50-game, 100-game and permanent suspensions doled out by MLB."
Even though Miguel Tejada says he has never used steroids, he is facing the same perjury charges as Barry Bonds, with proof residing in two checks he wrote to then-A's teammate Adam Piatt for $3,100 and $3,200 to purchase Deca-Durbalin and HGH in March 2003 from Kirk Radomski, the personal trainer and former New York Mets clubhouse attendant.
Questions-
So, is this laissez-faire attitude towards steroids really common among dominicans?
Do any of you think Miguel Tejada is lying?
Since Tejada was already in the majors and a wealthy man when he allegedly purchased these steroids, should the lackadaisical cultural attitude towards steroids be used as an excuse for such behavior?
Feel free to toss in any thoughts related to these topics.
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