New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi became the new face of baseball's steroid scandal yesterday, when a published report revealed his admission, in grand jury testimony, that he took steroids provided by the personal trainer of San Francisco Giants star Barry Bonds.
Giambi, 33, had publicly denied using steroids, but the San Francisco Chronicle obtained his testimony in the federal inquiry in the BALCO labs case from December 2003, in which he describes using a syringe to inject human growth hormone into his stomach and testosterone into his buttocks.
For baseball, the report marked another turn in a scandal that has been percolating since 2002, when former Most Valuable Player Ken Caminiti revealed his steroid use. More revelations are expected tonight, when Victor Conte, founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, is interviewed on ABC's 20/20.
"There's been so much attention paid to the steroid issue that, in one respect, it's sad when it becomes a reality," said Orioles Vice President Mike Flanagan. "But I think it's a reality that, obviously, Major League Baseball has to look at."
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig repeated his call for a stricter drug-testing policy yesterday. He and major league owners have met stiff resistance from the players union.
The sides agreed to drug testing in their 2002 labor agreement, but critics have denounced that policy as too tame.
"This [Giambi report] once again demonstrates the need to implement a tougher and more effective major league drug-testing program," Selig said. "I will leave no stone unturned in accomplishing our goal of zero tolerance by the start of spring training and am confident we will achieve this goal."
Selig is pushing to implement a drug-testing policy similar to the one baseball adopted for minor league players in 2001. Under current major league policy, teams are tested once a year during the season. Theoretically, players could use steroids all winter, so long as they are flushed out by Opening Day.
Baseball's minor league policy involves more frequent testing and harsher punishments. The Major League Baseball Players Association declined to comment yesterday. But Selig has said it will take stricter testing to remove the cloud of suspicion hanging over players.
