More on the Mitchell Report

As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), I belong to the national Strength & Conditioning Association. This association has the mission to be the worldwide athority on Strength & Conditioning by bridging research to it practical application. A week ago Major League Baseball released the Mitchell report. If you are not familiar with it you can down load a copy of it here. The NSCA sent an email statement out to all of its members. I thought that I would post it on my blog so that all could read it and get the message that this reputable organization has to say.

National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) issues position on the Mitchell Report into the illegal use of steroids and other performance enhancing substances by major league baseball players

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) - the worldwide authority on strength and conditioning - has issued the following statement in response to the release of George Mitchell's report to the Commissioner of Baseball on the illegal use of steroids and other performance enhancing substances by major league baseball players:

"The NSCA is unequivocally against the illegal use of steroids and other performance enhancing substances. We believe their use is unethical and contrary to the goals of competitive sports. The NSCA believes in and supports the premise that participation in an athletic event should always be based on the highest moral and ethical standards and promote, in every way, the concept of fair play. The NSCA will investigate and take appropriate action against any NSCA member or NSCA certified individual who engages in or facilitates the illegal use of steroids or other performance enhancing substances." - Dr. Lee E. Brown, NSCA President

Says Professor at the University of Connecticut and Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research Dr. Bill Kraemer, "We need to re-affirm the message to athletes and parents that certified strength and conditioning coaches are competent professionals who have the education and background to optimize a workout, which is effective at diffusing the temptation to use anabolic drugs." He adds that a top strength and conditioning coach will typically have a masters degree in a related field, be NSCA-certified, and have the necessary background to work with athletes.

"Players need to be educated that steroids are not the answer," agrees Dr. Jay Hoffman, Department Chair at The College of New Jersey and former professional athlete. "Major League Baseball now requires that its strength and conditioning coaches be certified by the NSCA, and that needs to be enforced. Certification helps to ensure that those coaches on the front line have the greatest depth of knowledge on strength and conditioning training, nutrition and the proper use of supplementation."

Those seeking additional information should begin with the NSCA's website: www.nsca-lift.org. NSCA Vice President and Board Member Jose Antonio, Ph.D. explains that, "The NSCA provides resources and training on natural and effective ways to enhance performance. That includes a comprehensive library of information on the subject, which the Association began compiling in the early 1990s."

The following links will take you to additional information and educational materials on anabolic-androgenic steroid use by athletes:

Special Report: Steroids - September 2006 Issue of Performance Training Journal

Nutrition - December 2007 Issue of Performance Training Journal

Podcast - Dr. Hoffman discusses illegal substance abuse in professional, collegiate, and High School sports