Anti-Doping Head Slams Selig, MLB
By RONALD BLUM,AP
Posted: 2008-01-16 19:17:43
NEW YORK (Jan. 16) – The World Anti-Doping Agency’s new president severely criticized Major League Baseball on Wednesday, saying the sport was resisting George Mitchell’s recommendation to transfer drug testing to an independent organization.

A day after the former Senate majority leader testified at a congressional hearing along with baseball commissioner Bud Selig and union head Donald Fehr, new WADA boss John Fahey blistered the sport for loopholes in its drug-testing program and heightened tension between MLB and the drug body.

“Professional baseball’s response to Sen. Mitchell’s report is baffling,” Fahey said in a statement. “To suggest that it might continue to keep its anti-doping testing program in-house … is demeaning to Sen. Mitchell and the congressional committees who view doping as a serious threat to public health.”

Selig fired right back at Fahey, who took over from Dick Pound on Jan. 1.

“WADA does not have a monopoly on independence in the world of drug testing,” Selig said.

Rob Manfred, MLB’s executive vice president for labor relations, was even harsher.

“These continuing, unprovoked, inaccurate publicity stunts by WADA have created an unwillingness to become more involved with WADA and its affiliates,” Manfred said. “We were hopeful that false public statements by WADA would end with its recent change in leadership, and we are deeply disappointed that Mr. Fahey is showing the same counterproductive tendencies as his predecessor.”

Since its inception in 2002, MLB’s drug program has been run by a joint management-player committee. After prodding from Congress, a jointly picked independent administrator was added for the 2006 season but the administrator can be removed at any time by either party.

Tagged with: agency • athletes.. • drug • independent • PROFESSIONAL • Should • testing • there

Filed under: Affiliate Program Management

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!