BILL INCLUDES NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR TESTING AND STRONG PENALTIES FOR STEROID USE ALONG THE SAME LINES AS OLYMPIC ATHLETES

Washington, Apr 26, 2005 - "The professional sports leagues expect world-class performance from their athletes and we believe that they should be held to world-class testing standards," stated Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Chairman of the Commerce, Trade & Consumer Protection Subcommittee. "Steroids are the tools of the cheater, and this bill holds that professional sports leagues should adopt uniform, world-class drug testing standards that are as comprehensive and robust as our criminal laws in this area. We can no longer accept that our amateur leagues and competitions like the NCAA and the Olympics abide by more stringent drug testing and penalties than any of our professional sports leagues."

Today, Stearns introduced the Drug Free Sports Act with the support of Rep. Charles Bass (R-NH), Rep. Gene Green (D-TX), Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).  Explained Stearns, "The Drug Free Sports Act sets a simple, uniform standard for professional sports.  It follows the World Anti-Doping Agency list that our Olympic athletes currently follow, as do other professional sports.  It provides the Secretary of Commerce the ability to exempt Sports that meet or exceed the minimum requirements.  The penalties to an athlete in this legislation are no different than they are for Olympic athletes and for certain professional sports - two years for the first violation; a lifetime ban for a second violation.  Sports leagues that have testing policies that meet or exceed the minimum requirements can be exempt by the secretary.  Leagues that don't comply are subject to fines."

Stearns' Commerce, Trade & Consumer Protection Subcommittee is the panel with jurisdiction over sports and steroid use.  The Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Stearns' bill on Thursday May 5th.  "I plan to work with the professional leagues on this very important issue to help preserve the integrity of sports in America for the fans and for our children," concluded Stearns.