Another Doping Scandal Looms for Major League Baseball

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Nick Berning: (202) 222-0748

As Baseball Owners Gather, Threat of Another Doping Scandal Looms on Horizon

Las VegasThis week, the owners of Major League Baseball (MLB) are meeting to determine policies for the 2009 season.

A watchdog group is urging the owners to use this meeting as an opportunity for MLB to adopt a substance policy prohibiting the dangerous practice of gene-doping, which is already prohibited by Major League Soccer, the National Hockey League and the World Anti-Doping Agency, as well as United States law.

Steroid use has already harmed the health and reputation of professional athletes, including professional baseball players. Gene doping poses the risk of another such scandal, said Gillian Madill, genetic technologies campaigner for Friends of the Earth. It is absolutely crucial that Major League Baseball, as a leading professional sports organization, prohibit gene doping for the sake of athletes, fans and purity of sport.

In August 2008, Robert Manfred, the Executive Vice President of MLB promised that MLB would consider adopting an anti-gene doping policy for the 2009 season. Manfred stated that he was aware of the World Anti-Doping Agency policy, and that he understand[s] the significance of [gene doping].

Gene doping is dangerous because it involves altering a persons DNA, which can cause death. Gene therapy, which uses the same technology as gene doping, has killed or caused severe illness in at least five people since trials began in 1999.

Friends of the Earth has been calling on MLB prohibit gene doping since February 2007 because gene doping is cheating and is not safe.

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Amigos de la Tierra (www.foe.orgFriends of the Earth (Amigos de la Tierra) es la voz estadounidense de la mayor red ambientalista de base del mundo, con grupos miembros en 77 países. Desde 1969, Friends of the Earth lucha por crear un mundo más sano y justo.