Informe Mitchell

Para el informe sobre el conflicto árabe-israelí, ver Informe Mitchell (conflicto árabe-israelí) . Para obtener una lista de los jugadores nombrados en el Informe Mitchell, consulte la Lista de jugadores de Grandes Ligas nombrados en el Informe Mitchell .

El informe Mitchell

Autor	Bufete de abogados George J. Mitchell DLA Piper
País	Estados Unidos
Idioma	inglés
Sujeto	Uso de drogas para mejorar el rendimiento en las Grandes Ligas de Béisbol
Editor	Oficina del Comisionado de Béisbol
Fecha de publicación	13 de diciembre de 2007
Tipo de medio	Internet en rústica
Paginas	409

El Informe al Comisionado de Béisbol de una investigación independiente sobre el uso ilegal de esteroides y otras sustancias que mejoran el rendimiento por parte de jugadores en las Grandes Ligas , conocido informalmente como Informe Mitchell , es el resultado del exsenador demócrata de los Estados Unidos de Maine George J. La investigación de 20 meses de Mitchell sobre el uso de esteroides anabólicos y la hormona del crecimiento humano (HGH) en las Grandes Ligas de Béisbol (MLB). El informe de 409 páginas, publicado el 13 de diciembre de 2007, cubre la historia del uso de sustancias ilegales para mejorar el rendimiento por parte de los jugadores y la efectividad de laPrograma Conjunto de Prevención y Tratamiento de Drogas de MLB . El informe también adelanta ciertas recomendaciones con respecto al manejo del uso pasado de drogas ilegales y las prácticas de prevención futuras. Además, el informe nombra a 89 jugadores de la MLB que supuestamente usaron esteroides u otras drogas para mejorar el rendimiento.

Antecedentes

George Mitchell, ex líder de la mayoría del Senado , fiscal federal y ex presidente de The Walt Disney Company , fue designado por el comisionado de béisbol Bud Selig el 30 de marzo de 2006 ^[1] para investigar el uso de drogas para mejorar el rendimiento en MLB. ^[2] Mitchell fue nombrado durante una época de controversia sobre el libro de 2006 Game of Shadows por los reporteros de investigación de San Francisco Chronicle Lance Williams y Mark Fainaru-Wada , que narra el supuesto uso extensivo de potenciadores del rendimiento, incluidos varios tipos diferentes de esteroides y hormona del crecimiento de las superestrellas del béisbol Barry Bonds , Gary Sheffield y Jason Giambi . El nombramiento se realizó después de que varios miembros influyentes del Congreso de los Estados Unidos hicieran comentarios negativos sobre la efectividad y honestidad de las políticas de drogas de MLB . ^[2]

Investigación

La investigación de Mitchell se centró en jugadores de alto perfil, sin investigar el papel que jugaron los equipos. Mitchell informó que la Asociación de Jugadores de Béisbol de las Grandes Ligas era "en gran medida poco cooperativa". ^[3] Según Mitchell, los jugadores y la asociación desalentaron a los jugadores de cooperar con la investigación. ^[3] En un memorando a los jugadores, la Asociación aconsejó:

... si bien el senador Mitchell promete en su memorando que cumplirá con cualquier solicitud de confidencialidad del jugador en su informe , no se compromete, porque no puede prometer, que cualquier información que usted proporcione permanecerá en realidad confidencial y no será divulgada sin su consentimiento. Por ejemplo, el senador Mitchell no puede prometer que la información que usted revele no será entregada a un fiscal federal o estatal, a un comité del Congreso , o tal vez entregada en una demanda privada en respuesta a una solicitud o citación . ^[4]

La confidencialidad no era una preocupación ociosa. La Asociación de Jugadores acordó someterse a pruebas anónimas en 2003, solo para descubrir que la lista de jugadores que dieron positivo fue entregada al gobierno (como parte de la investigación de la Cooperativa del Laboratorio del Área de la Bahía ). ^[5]

Mitchell acordó darle al comisionado Selig una copia avanzada del informe mientras se niega a hacer lo mismo por la Asociación de Jugadores. ^[3]

Solo dos jugadores activos fueron entrevistados para el informe. De los cinco jugadores a los que los investigadores se acercaron para entrevistas debido a sus declaraciones públicas sobre el tema, el bateador designado de los Azulejos de Toronto , Frank Thomas, fue el único dispuesto a ser entrevistado.

Kirk Radomski

Artículo principal: Kirk Radomski

Kirk Radomski , ex empleado de batboy y camerino de los Mets de Nueva York y testigo crítico, proporcionó la mayoría de los nombres que el público en general no conocía. ^[6] Mitchell fue capaz de asegurar la cooperación de Radomski a través de San Francisco , California , el fiscal federal de Scott Escuelas. Radomski había sido acusado de distribución de una sustancia controlada y lavado de dinero y enfrentaba hasta treinta años de prisión . Llegó a un acuerdo con la fiscalía que estaba condicionado a su cooperación con la investigación de Mitchell. ^[6]Radomski se declaró culpable de esos cargos, recibió una sentencia de cinco años de libertad condicional y una multa de 18.575 dólares. ^[7]

Brian McNamee

Artículo principal: Brian McNamee

Brian McNamee es un entrenador personal que fue contratado principalmente por Andy Pettitte , Roger Clemens y Chuck Knoblauch . Es un ex entrenador de fuerza de los Yankees de Nueva York y los Azulejos de Toronto . El Informe Mitchell alega que McNamee ayudó a adquirir medicamentos para mejorar el rendimiento, incluidos esteroides, anfetaminas y hormona del crecimiento humano para algunos o todos los jugadores que entrenó personalmente. McNamee le dijo a la Comisión Mitchell que comenzó a inyectar esteroides a Clemens en 1998 y que continuó proporcionándolos hasta 2001 .

Larry Starr

Larry Starr fue entrenador durante 30 años con los Rojos de Cincinnati (1972–1992) y los Marlins de Florida (1993–2002). Starr fue entrevistado por los investigadores de Mitchell al menos cuatro veces, ^[8] pero su información fue completamente omitida del Informe final.

Starr ha hablado libremente sobre el tema con la prensa. Le dijo a un periodista: "Tengo notas de las Reuniones de Invierno en las que el grupo de propietarios y la asociación de jugadores se reunieron con los médicos y entrenadores del equipo. Yo estaba allí. Y los médicos del equipo se pusieron de pie y dijeron: 'Mira, necesitamos hacer algo al respecto. Tenemos un problema aquí si no hacemos algo al respecto ". Eso fue en 1988 ". ^{[8] [9]}

En otra entrevista, Starr dijo: "No culpo totalmente a los jugadores. No abusaron del sistema. Usaron el sistema. El sistema era tal que no había pruebas, así que ... lo malo fue que realmente se puso el personal médico en una mala situación. Si no pudiéramos realizar la prueba, no habría forma de que pudiéramos acusar a alguien directamente de que estaba usando algún tipo de sustancia para mejorar el rendimiento ... Esta es la posición que tomé. Si no puedo prueba, si no puedo hacer nada objetivo con ellos, lo que les dije a mis jugadores fue que pasen en [la sala de entrenamiento]. Si tienen alguna pregunta, cerramos la puerta, cerramos las persianas, habrá sin papeles, sin lápices y lo que quieres saber. Y les diría todo lo que sabía ... Cuando Mark McGwire fue descubierto tomando androstenediona, cuando eso llegó a ESPN,cuatro jugadores entraron a mi oficina en una hora y preguntaron: '¿Dónde puedo conseguir androstenediona?' "

Starr says that the first player he knew to be using steroids was doing so in 1984,^[10] and that multiple members of the championship 1997 Marlins team used steroids. In 2000, Starr found a bag of syringes belonging to Marlins pitcher Ricky Bones and reported it to his superiors, who sent the information up the chain to the commissioner's office. No action was taken; this incident was not included in the Mitchell Report.^[11]

Starr told a reporter, "Someone ought to ask Mr. Selig whether he had any suspicion at all. Was there any one time from 1990 to 2003 that you had any suspicion that people were doing something wrong or cheating? If he says no to that question, he must not have watched many games." Referring back to the 1980s, he told another reporter, "You'd have to live in Siberia to not know it was going on."

On the eve of the Mitchell report's release, Starr told the New York Daily News "From the conversations I had with them, I got the feeling they were very open to what I had to say. They were not just after names. I really felt like they wanted to hear the background on all this. I didn't feel like I was wasting my time."^[12] Neither Starr's information indicting MLB's decades of knowledge nor Starr's name appear anywhere in the Mitchell Report.

Report findings

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The report describes motivations for its preparation, including health effects of steroids, legal issues, fair play, and reports that baseball players acted as role models for child athletes. For example, after news coverage in August 1998 that Mark McGwire had used the then-legal androstenedione, a steroid precursor, sales of the supplement increased over 1000%, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that 8% of male high school senior athletes had used androstenedione in 2001.

Mitchell reported that during the random testing in 2003, 5 to 7 percent of players tested positive for steroid use. Players on the forty-man roster of major league teams were exempt from testing until 2004. One player is quoted: "Forty-man [roster] guys already have all of the [major league] club advantages, and then they could use steroids ... it was not a level playing field."

According to the report, after mandatory random testing began in 2004, HGH became the substance of choice among players, as it was not then detectable in tests.^[13] Also, it was noted that at least one player from each of the thirty Major League Baseball teams was involved in the alleged violations.^[14]

Players listed

For the list of players named in the report and their responses, see List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report.

In all, 89 former and current MLB players are named in the report.^[2][15] Among those implicated were several well-known players such as Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Miguel Tejada, and Éric Gagné. Many of them are connected through a relatively small social network centering on Kirk Radomski.^[16]

Recommendations

1. Major League Baseball should utilize an independent testing administrator to improve their capability to investigate the use of performance-enhancing drugs, above and beyond the current urine testing program. Additionally, Major League Baseball should improve their methods of barring the drugs from the clubhouse.^[17]
2. Major League Baseball should improve their efforts to educate the players and others regarding the grim health dangers that result from this drug use.^[17]
3. When the club owners and the Players Association take up negotiations regarding the league's drug program again, they should be guided by modern and first-rate standards.^[17]

Conclusions

Mitchell expressed his hope that readers of the report will look past the players' names that are included in the report and focus on the conclusions he reached during his investigation. Mitchell presents his conclusions in five sections.^[18]

1. Major League Baseball's 2002 response to steroid use resulted in players switching from detectable steroids to undetectable human growth hormone.^[18]
2. The use of performance-enhancing substances by players is illegal and ethically "wrong".^[18]
3. While players that use illegal substances are responsible for their actions, that responsibility is shared by the entire baseball community for failing to recognize the problem sooner.^[18]
4. An exhaustive investigation attempting to identify every player that has used illegal substances would not be beneficial.^[18]
5. Major League Baseball should adopt the recommendations of the report as a first step in eliminating the use of illegal substances.^[18]

Reactions

The release of the Mitchell Report is reported on the front page of The Baltimore Sun the day after its release

After the report was released, Selig held a news conference in which he called the Mitchell Report "a call to action. And I will act."^[15][19] Selig indicated that it is possible that some of the players named in the report may face disciplinary actions. "Discipline of players and others identified in this report will be determined on a case-by-case basis. If warranted, those decisions will be made swiftly," said Selig.^[20]

Donald Fehr, executive director of the MLB Players Association, also held a news conference in which he expressed his disappointment that the union was not given a chance to read the report beforehand. He accepted some responsibility for the steroid problems but expressed concern for how the league would treat the players named in the report.^[21]

Roger Clemens has been deemed the most standout name of the list.^[22] The seven-time Cy Young Award winner issued a response through agent Randy Hendricks, saying "I want to state clearly and without qualification: I did not take steroids, human growth hormone or any other banned substances at any time in my baseball career or, in fact, my entire life."^[23]

The day after the report was released, then-President of the United States George W. Bush, a former co-owner of the Texas Rangers, stated that "we can jump to this conclusion: that steroids have sullied the game." He said he had no prior knowledge or awareness of player steroid use. He added, "My hope is that this report is a part of putting the steroid era of baseball behind us."

Drug testing after the report

Major League Baseball's drug testing policy became more strict after the Mitchell Report came out, allegedly in hopes of stopping steroid use in professional baseball.

Before the Mitchell Report came out, MLB had one unannounced mandatory test each year for every player and random tests for selective players during the season and the off-season. Each drug test examined each player for steroids, steroid precursors, and designer steroids. If caught, suspensions without pay occurred. The first positive tests resulted in a suspension for ten days, the second for thirty days, the third for sixty days and the fourth positive test resulted in a one-year suspension.

After George Mitchell’s report came out, MLB markedly increased testing and punishments. Now baseball tests unannounced twice a year for all players and random testing still occurs for selective players. MLB also tests for more substances. As of 2015, the MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program tests for eight different abusive drugs, 74 performance-enhancing drugs, and 56 stimulants.^[24] One of the 74 performance-enhancing drugs is Human Growth Hormone (HGH), a substance that was never tested for before the Mitchell Report because no reliable test existed. Along with the increase of substances tested for came an increase in suspensions without pay. The first positive test now results in an eighty-game suspension, the second is 162 games (a full season), and the third positive results in a lifetime suspension from the MLB.^[24]

Conflict of interest allegations

Some questioned whether being a director of the Boston Red Sox created a conflict of interest for Mitchell, especially because no prime Red Sox players were named in the report,^[22] despite the fact that Red Sox stars David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were later alleged to have used performance-enhancing substances during the 2003 season, as reported by The New York Times on July 30, 2009.^[25] Likewise, the report was commissioned by Selig, and no members of the Milwaukee Brewers, whom Selig once owned, appeared in the report.

The report was leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle shortly prior to the deciding game seven of the 2007 American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Indians and the Boston Red Sox, although it was not officially released until December, months after the series was over. This was cause for some players and media members to note the curious timing of the leak. In particular, Indians pitcher Paul Byrd, along with some of his teammates, felt that the timing of publicizing Byrd's alleged steroid use was suspicious.

Former U.S. prosecutor John M. Dowd also brought up allegations of Mitchell's conflict of interest. Dowd, who had defended Senator John McCain of Arizona during the Keating Five investigation in the late 1980s, cited how he took exception to Mitchell's scolding of McCain and others for having a conflict of interest with their actions in the case and how the baseball investigation would be a "burden" for him when Mitchell was named to lead it.^[26] However, after the investigation, Dowd later told the Baltimore Sun that he was convinced the former Senator had done a good job.^[27]

The Los Angeles Times reported that Mitchell acknowledged that his "tight relationship with Major League Baseball left him open to criticism".^[28] Mitchell responded to the concerns by stating that readers who examined the report closely "will not find any evidence of bias, of special treatment of the Red Sox".^[28]

See also

• Banned substances in baseball
• Doping in the United States
• List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report
• List of Major League Baseball players suspended for performance-enhancing drugs

References

1. Bloom, Barry M. (2007-12-13). "Mitchell Report to be released today". MLB.com. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
2. Wilson, Duff; Schmidt, Michael S. (December 13, 2007). "Baseball Braces for Steroid Report From Mitchell". The New York Times.
3. "Mitchell Report" (PDF). pp. SR7. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
4. "Mitchell Report" (PDF). pp. B9–B10. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
5. "Mitchell Report" (PDF). pp. SR25. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
6. Zeigler, Mark (December 14, 2007). "Call it the 'Radomski Report'". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
7. [1] "Radomski finds shipping slips under TV". The San Diego Union-Tribune. July 16, 2008.
8. "Florida Today". Florida Today.
9. "Former Reds trainer watches steroids debate with great interest [Archive] – RedsZone.com – Cincinnati Reds Fans' Home for Baseball Discussion". www.redszone.com.
10. "Journal-News – Local News for Hamilton, Middletown". journal-news.
11. "Former MLB Trainer Larry Starr Criticized Commissioner Selig". www.steroidsources.com. 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-06-30.
12. Michael O'Keeffe; Teri Thompson (December 11, 2007). "MLB receives Mitchell Report". Daily News. New York.
13. "Mitchell Report" (PDF). pp. SR2. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
14. "Mitchell report: Baseball slow to react to players' steroid use". ESPN.com. December 13, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
15. Davidoff, Ken; Jim Baumbach (2007-12-13). "Many high-profile names will make Mitchell Report". Newsday. Archived from the original on 2007-12-15. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
16. "The Steroids Social Network". Slate.com. 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
17. "Mitchell Report: Summary and Recommendations" (PDF). p. 6. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
18. "Mitchell Report" (PDF). pp. 310–311. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
19. DiComo, Anthony (2007-12-13). "Selig: Report is a 'call to action'". MLB.com. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
20. "Clemens, Pettitte named in baseball steroid report". CNN. 2007-12-13. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
21. Ian Browne (2007-12-14). "Fehr wants time to review Report". mlb.com. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
22. "Mitchell report: Baseball slow to react to players' steroid use". ESPN.com. December 14, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
23. "Clemens fires back, denies taking steroids or HGH". ESPN. Associated Press. December 18, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
24. "Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program" (PDF). Major League Baseball. MLB. December 31, 2015.
25. Schmidt, Michael S. (2009-07-30). "Ortiz and Ramirez Said to Be on '03 Doping List". The New York Times.
26. Dodd, Mike (March 31, 2006). "Is George Mitchell independent enough?". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
27. Walker, Childs (December 11, 2007). "Some question Mitchell as report draws near". Baltimore Sun.
28. Johnson, Greg (December 14, 2007). "Mitchell cites unbiased history". The Los Angeles Times.

External links

• Mitchell Report Executive Summary.
• Full Mitchell Report.
• Links to statistical pages of players implicated in the Mitchell Report, provided by Baseball-Reference.
• Mitchell Report: The Lineup, summary and documents provided by The Smoking Gun.
• Mitchell Report reaction in the Newseum archive of front page images from 2007-12-14.
• The short film "The Mitchell Report: The Illegal Use of Steroids in Major League Baseball (Part 1 of 2) (January 15, 2008)" is available for free download at the Internet Archive
• The short film "The Mitchell Report: The Illegal Use of Steroids in Major League Baseball (Part 2 of 2) (January 15, 2008))" is available for free download at the Internet Archive
• The short film "The Mitchell Report: The Illegal Use of Steroids in Major League Baseball, Day 2 (Part 1 of 2) (February 13, 2008)" is available for free download at the Internet Archive
• The short film "The Mitchell Report: The Illegal Use of Steroids in Major League Baseball, Day 2 (Part 2 of 2) (February 13, 2008)" is available for free download at the Internet Archive