J.C. Romero, the Philadelphia Phillies star who was suspended for steroid abuse last August, has taken legal action against the makers and distributors of nutritional supplements. The star pitcher alleged that they are responsible for his positive test.

Romero filed a 27-page lawsuit on Monday in New Jersey Superior Court in Camden County. In the lawsuit, he blamed the product 6-OXO Extreme for traces of androstenedione found in his urine on Aug. 26, 2008. The lawsuit also includes various other counts, including negligence, intentional misrepresentation and consumer fraud.

GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Ergopharm and Proviant Technologies are the four defendants named under the lawsuit. Among these, the latter two companies are owned and operated by Patrick Arnold, an Illinois-based chemist who is in federal prison for having role in the BALCO affair. When asked about the lawsuit, Arnold did not give any statement.

Romero said, “I purchased an over-the-counter supplement that I was told and believed would not cause me to test positive.” “These events have hurt me deeply and placed a cloud over my career, accomplishments and family. It is my hope that I can finally start to put this event behind me and protect the interests of others who rely on manufacturers and retailers to be honest about their products.”

From New York Daily News:

Suspended Phillies reliever J.C. Romero is suing the makers and distributors of nutritional supplements that he says are responsible for his positive steroid test last August.

The 27-page lawsuit, filed Monday in New Jersey Superior Court in Camden County, blames the product 6-OXO Extreme for traces of androstenedione found in the pitcher’s urine on Aug. 26, 2008.

The numerous counts in the lawsuit include negligence, intentional misrepresentation and consumer fraud. The four defendants named are GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Ergopharm and Proviant Technologies.

The star Phillies pitcher was tested positive for androstenedione on Aug. 26, 2008 and received a 50-game suspension order, which was not made public until January of this year. MLB announced his ban later in January. Despite of his suspension, Romero was allowed to work out with the Phillies in spring training session and in pregame practices without being paid.

Gary Wadler, a New York internist affiliated with the World Anti-Doping Agency stated that Romero situation had highlighted a well-known problem with the under-regulated supplement industry.

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Mark David McGwire had his shot at becoming part of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, this dream was shattered when a fellow teammate, Jose Canseco, claimed that he had personally injected McGwire with anabolic steroids. Although McGwire was not named by The Mitchell Report, the accusation has caused his name a lot of damage. McGwire did admit to taking androstenedione which is a steroid-precursor and is a legal over-the-counter performance enhancer. McGwire has been artfully dodging questions about his steroid use even when he was under oath. This has puzzled many fans and critics alike. Some stay at McGwire’s side, however, like his manager, Tony La Russa.

From New York Times:

“I think if he came to spring training and was seen, so the writers and the fans could say, ‘There’s Mark,’ and answer whatever they want,” La Russa said, “I think that would go a long way, in my opinion.”

La Russa thinks that McGwire has the makings of someone to be put in the Hall of Fame but he has heard attacks on McGwire’s character and integrity that had influenced officials when voting for nominees. La Russa defends McGwire, saying that the athlete had character and integrity. This was proven when McGwire  was released by the St. Louis Cardinals even though he had a contract with them because he felt that he was could not be effective anymore due to the damage done by the scandal, and the athlete did not chase after any of the $30 million offered to him.

La Russa believes that McGwire is the only person capable of clearing his name if he would only speak up. But, as the athlete had pointed out when he faced the Congress, it’s a no win situation for him whether he affirms or negates the issue. As for his manager, La Russa will continue inviting McGwire to play baseball again and hopefully, to fill the gap in the Hall of Fame.

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Here’s just one of the news items that illustrates baseball’s alliance with steroids. From Miami Herald:

Major League Baseball suspended Cincinnati Reds minor league pitcher Renny Amador and Arizona Diamondbacks minor league shortstop Bernardino Jimenez for 50 games after each tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

Amador tested positive for metabolites of Stanozolol and Jimenez tested positive for Boldenone.

Both players are members of their organization’s Dominican summer league teams.
The suspensions are effective immediately.

Use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in baseball grabbed national attention starting in the 1990s, when the record-breaking era of Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire took place.

During the 1998 season, Sosa hit 66 home runs while McGwire McGwire earned the single season record by hitting 70 home runs as Major League fans watched in open-mouthed disbelief.  It was alleged that these two players had been getting some help from performance boosters – androstenedione for McGwire and creatine for Sosa. Then Barry Bonds came, easily breaking the home run record established by McGwire. Bonds’ sensational performance had caused many to speculate on his possible use of steroids.

In 2003, the Balco Affair exploded implicating Bonds of use of steroid and PEDs along with other elite athletes in diverse sports. Subsequently, the Major League and its affiliates (including the Minor League) have adopted stricter anti-doping policy.

The organization has implemented harsher penalties for steroid users, commencing at its 2005 season.

A first positive test results in a suspension of 10 games. A second and third positive test result in a suspension of 30 and 60 games, respectively. A fourth offense results in a one-year suspension. A fifth offense results in a penalty at the commissioner’s discretion, which could mean saying ta-ta to the game permanently.

Prior to this implementation, a first-time offense would only call for the treatment of the player and the player would not even be named.

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