ID :
61357
Tue, 05/19/2009 - 16:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/61357
The shortlink copeid
Former slugger accuses Korean pro baseballers of drug use
SEOUL, May 19 (Yonhap) -- A retired slugger on Tuesday claimed in his recently
published autobiography that some South Korean athletes in the pro baseball
league have used performance-enhancing drugs.
In a bombshell announcement that could deal a serious blow to the reputation of
the popular baseball community, Ma Hae-young, former infielder of the
Busan-based Lotte Giants, insisted that he had personally witnessed his fellow
players resorting to banned substances to artificially boost their performance.
"I witnessed some players habitually taking strictly banned steroid pills," Ma
said in his memoir released on Tuesday. "Foreign players have been believed to
use banned drugs and Korean players were no exception."
"They are under big pressure to yield good results."
The 38-year-old, now a sports commentator, wrote his autobiography titled "True
Color of Baseball" after he retired from the field last year.
His unprecedented revelation may jolt the nation as there has been rumors that
some baseball players have usually depended on drugs, but no crucial evidence.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) launched a drug test on domestic players in
2007 but found no one guilty. It said that foreign athletes playing in the league
will be also subject to the examination this year.
"I remember clearly drug use by Korean players," Ma, the 2002 Korean Series MVP,
told Yonhap. "They received the banned drugs from foreign players who had access
to the pills."
Eight clubs have two foreign players each in the league.
"But the number of cases is less than 10. I am sure that they have not used the
drug for extended periods but just tried it out of curiosity," said Ma, refusing
to identify the players.
He argued that he wrote the book to advise young players not to succumb to the
temptation.
"I hope that my book plays a key role in cleaning up Korean baseball."
In the U.S. Major League, former New York Yankees outfielder Jose Canseco raised
doping allegations against famed players in his book, leading to a congressional
investigation. Some renowned players including Roger Clemens, Barry Bond, Alex
Rodriguez and Mark McGwire were found to be at the center of the drug scandal.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
published autobiography that some South Korean athletes in the pro baseball
league have used performance-enhancing drugs.
In a bombshell announcement that could deal a serious blow to the reputation of
the popular baseball community, Ma Hae-young, former infielder of the
Busan-based Lotte Giants, insisted that he had personally witnessed his fellow
players resorting to banned substances to artificially boost their performance.
"I witnessed some players habitually taking strictly banned steroid pills," Ma
said in his memoir released on Tuesday. "Foreign players have been believed to
use banned drugs and Korean players were no exception."
"They are under big pressure to yield good results."
The 38-year-old, now a sports commentator, wrote his autobiography titled "True
Color of Baseball" after he retired from the field last year.
His unprecedented revelation may jolt the nation as there has been rumors that
some baseball players have usually depended on drugs, but no crucial evidence.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) launched a drug test on domestic players in
2007 but found no one guilty. It said that foreign athletes playing in the league
will be also subject to the examination this year.
"I remember clearly drug use by Korean players," Ma, the 2002 Korean Series MVP,
told Yonhap. "They received the banned drugs from foreign players who had access
to the pills."
Eight clubs have two foreign players each in the league.
"But the number of cases is less than 10. I am sure that they have not used the
drug for extended periods but just tried it out of curiosity," said Ma, refusing
to identify the players.
He argued that he wrote the book to advise young players not to succumb to the
temptation.
"I hope that my book plays a key role in cleaning up Korean baseball."
In the U.S. Major League, former New York Yankees outfielder Jose Canseco raised
doping allegations against famed players in his book, leading to a congressional
investigation. Some renowned players including Roger Clemens, Barry Bond, Alex
Rodriguez and Mark McGwire were found to be at the center of the drug scandal.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
