In a shocking excerpt from the new book (
Blood Sport: Alex Rodriguez, Biogenesis and the Quest to End Baseball's Steroid Era, by Tim Elfrink and Gus Garcia-Roberts),
Sports Illustrated reveals that
Major League Baseball gave the OK to Alex Rodriguez to use PEDs during his 2007 MVP season. While the Red Sox ended up winning their second World Series in three years,
The Fraudulent One hit 54 HRs, knocked in 156 runs and scored 143.
The Centaur also led the majors with a 1.067 OPS. Amazingly, MLB gave their permission to A-Fraud to use PEDs during that tainted season. The
Sports Illustrated story states,
"Under baseball’s performance-enhancing drug policy, players can apply for a so-called therapeutic use exemption (TUE) to take certain medical substances otherwise banned by MLB. A doctor appointed by both sides—the independent program administrator (IPA) -- reviews all applications. Baseball also has an expert medical panel to advise the IPA. If an exemption is granted, the player cannot be punished for using that substance. The exemption is good for one year. Before the 2007 season, Rodriguez asked for permission to use testosterone, which has been banned by baseball since 2003. The IPA in '07 was Bryan W. Smith, a High Point, N.C., physician. (Baseball did not yet have the advisory medical panel.) On Feb. 16, 2007, two days before Rodriguez reported to spring training, Smith granted the exemption, allowing Rodriguez to use testosterone all season." This astounding revelation—
if true—has to call into question the legitimacy of
Bud Selig's entire anti-doping regime.
