Steroid Sleuths Request MLB Medical Records

This is great...they want teams to turn over players' medical records, which of course requires players' approval.

'Mr Sosa, this is the US government, we would like to have your medical records. Okay?'

'No.'

'Ha! See?? What does that tell you!! We tried!!'

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/sports/baseball/09steroids.html?_r=1&oref=slogin


By Duff Wilson
Published: May 9, 2007

Investigators of steroid use in baseball are seeking medical records from at least two of the game’s premier sluggers over the past dozen years, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro, along with records from dozens of other players suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs, a baseball official with direct knowledge of the request said.

The investigators in the inquiry, headed by the former Senator George J. Mitchell, have also asked the Baltimore Orioles to send medical files to Jason Grimsley, David Segui and Fernando Tatis, the official said. The players will then be asked to authorize their release to Mitchell, although they are believed to be unlikely to do so.

 

You have the right, Mr. Sosa, to keep your personal medical records private, however, if you dare assert this right you will be presumed guilty in the report to be issued by the esteemed Red Sox board member.

 

They seem to be digging for Orioles -- I'm wondering if anyone has the stones to ask for Ripkens. I notice he was awfully, awfully queit about the whole steroid issue when given a chance to speak on it and anyone who is "convinced" Bonds took steroids by looking at pictures of him from 1989 and now should look at Cal Ripken's rookie card and compare it to what he looked like in his mid-30';s......

Oh but I forgot, Ripken is everybody's (white) All-American......

 

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Piss off, George.

 

Just one of those nagging little problems that needs to be ironed out in the continuing privatization of law enforcement. The government forced invasive drug-testing without cause into a Collective Bargaining Agreement and against the employees' will and also wants to bully employees to release test results and other sensitive medical information to the law enforcement arm of their employer. The public might ordinarily be up in arms about this type of behavior, but it's just greedy, overpaid athletes, so what the heck ....

 

"Mr. Sosa, we heard a suspicious noise coming from your medical records, so we're just going to take a look and make sure everything's OK."

 

Is this anything other than hilarious grandstanding, Rufus T Firefly presiding?

If you NEVER took steroids, if you never took an aspirin or used a bandaid, would you consent to give your medical records to a government investigation?

Can you imagine the meeting where they decided to do this?
'Your excellency, we must demand the records!'
'They won't give you the records, a four year old child wouldn't give you the records...go out and get me a four year old child, see if we can get some records.'

'Mr Palmeiro, we demand the records!'
'No.'
'Upstart!'

 

[blue]I doubt that Sosa's records are in English. Investigators probably will need an interpretor.

 

A MAN DOESN'T LIVE WHO CAN CALL A FIREFLY AN UPSTART.
THE MAYFLOWER WAS FULL OF FIREFLYS... AND A FEW HORSEFLIES TOO.
THE FIREFLYS WERE ON THE UPPER DECK...
AND THE HORSEFLIES WERE ON THE FIREFLYS.