HGH Testing Coming To The Minors

From Michael S. Schmidt:

Major League Baseball, which had long been skeptical about a viable test for human growth hormone, now plans to implement blood testing for the substance in the minor leagues later this year, according to an official in baseball with direct knowledge of the matter.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he did not want to be identified discussing a decision that has not yet been made public.

The decision to move ahead with blood testing comes one day after a British rugby player was suspended for testing positive for H.G.H. It was the first time that an athlete had been publicly identified for testing positive for the substance and was seen as overdue proof that the blood test, which has been in limited use for six years, actually works.

Over the past decade, the minor leagues have been the place where Commissioner Bud Selig has introduced new steps against the use of performance-enhancing drugs. The majority of minor leaguers are not members of the players union, which has allowed Selig to take drug-testing measures without the union’s consent. For instance, testing for steroids was initiated on the minor league level before the union later agreed to its use in the majors.

Selig plans to use the same blueprint with H.G.H., with a second baseball official confirming on Tuesday that Selig will now move to get the union’s approval to test for H.G.H. on the major league level.

This is something MLB, among other sports, has needed to do for years. Apparently there is finally a reliable test and I'm glad to see Bud Selig doing the right thing. I'm sure there are going to be player's union people who will be against any kind of blood testing, but that's just too damn bad. If the players care about cleaning up the game completely than this is something they're going to have to accept.