Drug Abuse Rife in Us Baseball, Report Finds

The reputation of baseball, America's emblematic sport and favorite pastime, suffered a major embarrassment yesterday with publication of an independent report that found widespread drugs abuse in the game, naming scores of present and former stars.

The report, which runs to more than 300 pages, is the biggest ever investigation into the sport's drug scandals. Its findings will prompt a fresh look at long-established records and a revaluation of the sport's heroes. Disciplinary action is expected against current players.

The investigation was carried out by George Mitchell, the former senator who played a key role in the Northern Ireland peace process. He spent 20 months speaking to players as well as dealers.

In the initial stages, he frequently complained about lack of cooperation, but in recent months found sources who provided testimony as part of plea deals.

Baseball remains one of the most popular and lucrative sports in the US. Although American football records bigger television ratings, there are many more baseball games played each year, with high viewing figures. It is family-oriented, with children playing in Saturday morning league games throughout the country.

The report yesterday prompted Congress to consider a fresh inquiry, with baseball officials and the players' union likely to be called to testify.

Some retired players have claimed that in the decade before testing began in 2003, half or more of baseball's 1,200 players were drug users.

Mitchell identified deficiencies in present methods of testing for drug abuse and recommended that testing be outsourced to an independent company.

Mitchell was asked to carry out the investigation in March last year by Bud Selig, the Major League Baseball commissioner, against a background of controversy over steroids in the game.

Congress, which conducted an inquiry in 2005, expressed unhappiness at testimony provided by players and others at the time. But the immediate reason for Selig ordering the investigation was the swirl of allegations surrounding star player Barry Bonds. Bonds broke one of the game's long-cherished records but was later indicted on charges of lying to a federal grand jury about steroid use.

Members of Congress are concerned about the impact on children who see the top players as role models.

Elijah Cummings, a member of the House oversight committee, called on baseball officials and players' representatives to testify before his committee. Speaking before publication of the report, he said it showed that "a lot more people are involved in the illegal use of performance-enhancing drugs than we ever imagined".