Pro sports should shape up

By the San Jose Mercury News - 07/31/2006

American cyclist Floyd Landis’ Tour de France victory was so heartwarming that no one wants to believe he failed a drug test during the race.

Stripping the gritty Landis of cycling’s greatest triumph would be a huge stain on the sport, especially since nine cyclists were ousted before the race for doping violations.

But for the cycling world, Thursday’s announcement was a measure of achievement. Cycling is doing more to test its biggest stars at its biggest event than most other professional sports. The depressing news of Landis’ drug test is a reminder that the entire professional sports world should be doing more to catch cheaters.

The Olympics have the toughest drug-testing regimen. Athletes must inform Olympic officials of their whereabouts 365 days a year and must immediately submit to random testing by an independent agency at any time. Rampant cheating is still suspected as athletes manage to stay a step or two ahead of the testers, but the IOC is trying to close that gap by using multiple tests for far more substances than any other sport.

Cycling has its own testing flaws. Its governing body, the International Cycling Union, also oversees drug testing, which is a conflict of interest. But the fact that it’s testing athletes and catching cheats at its biggest event is impressive. Participants have to know that if they take illegal substances, there’s a chance they’ll end up in disgrace.

In contrast, Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League subject most players to only a couple of tests a year. Players may not be tested at all during the off-season, when they’re training and possibly seeking chemical help. Nor are they routinely tested during the biggest events, the World Series and the Stanley Cup. The National Football League and National Basketball Association have better reputations for testing than baseball and the NHL, but far more still needs to be done.

The total investment in research to catch cheats at the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency — the agency that tests Olympic athletes — was only $2 million last year. Major League Baseball announced last year that it will invest $500,000 — roughly the salary of a single bench-warmer — to try to develop a urine test for human growth hormone, believed to be the new drug of choice for baseball players seeking an extra edge.

We’ll know professional sports are serious about preserving their integrity when their combined investment is increased tenfold. But don’t hold your breath.

In the meantime, Landis’ failed drug test is one more reason to question any spectacular achievement by an athlete. That’s a real shame for legitimate achievers, and for fans.

— San Jose Mercury News