Tank's Take February 21, 2003

Dying To Make It

On Monday the quite serene scene of Spring Training was shattered as 23-year old Oriole prospect Steve Bechler died in the hospital a day after suffering heat stroke in an early spring workout. It's just the last sudden death of an athlete on the field during a routine workout. Like Korey Stringer the Minnesota Vikings All-Pro tackle who died during NFL Training camp in the summer of 2001 Bechler had used ephedra, an herbal supplement derived from the Asian ma huang plant commonly used as a weight loss supplement.

After Stringer's death the NFL added Ephedra to its banned substance list meaning a player is subject to a 4-game suspension for using it the first time he is caught. That is a harsher penalty then the first time a player caught with cocaine who only is only given a warning, while being forced to seek treatment and getting tested more often. If an Olympic athlete is caught with Ephedra he could be stripped of his medal. The NCAA also banes epehdra's use while the NBA and NHL don't ban it they discourage their players from using it citing the dangers of the drug, that has been linked to at least 100 deaths according to the Food and Drug Administration.

While every other major sport has taken steps to either ban epehdra or discourage it's use with education of it's dangers, Major League Baseball has turned a blind eye whishing away the problem, and not doing anything to fix it.

Ephedra, which reduces weight by increasing a body's metabolism, is easily purchased over the counter, and is often used by athletes like Steve Bechler who are a little overweight as a shortcut to get into playing shape. However, its side effects can be deadly, as it has been known to heart attacks, strokes, seizures, and heatstrokes. epehedra can throw off the body's natural cooling system, as in the case of Bechler, whose body temperature was 108 despite comfortable 80-degree weather in Fort Lauderdale where the Orioles were working out.

Because ephedra is a supplement, the FDA does not regulate it. Recently there has been a movement by Congress to pass law to ban it, but it will likely not prevent its use. New York Representative John Sweeney is calling for tougher restriction on all over the counter drugs arguing the current loose regulatory requirements endanger not just professional athletes, but teenagers and non-athletes trying to lose weight. Sweeny said, "How many young men have to die before someone wises up and bans this junk?"

However, while the FDA argues the drug can kill Wes Siegner, attorney for the Ephedra Education Council argues, "Clinical data says that when used properly, ephedra is safe, and helps people lose weight, and that they don't want to take that away from people without a reason."

Unless Congress or the FDA can figure away to ban or regulate ephedra, Major League Baseball will not be able to do anything to stop it's use. After having a tough time getting players to agree to steroids testing banning ephedra would be nearly impossible so the only solution here is to discourage its use, and educate them on the dangers.

However, even with all the warnings there will always be players like Curtis Leskanic of the Milwaukee Brewers who said, "It's a long haul and it makes your body feel a little bit better. Whatever it takes for you to get through the day, you've got to do that."

Whether or not Leskanic is playing Russian Roulette with his life means to be seen. If Bechler and Leskanic are using it there are probably hundreds of other players using it not just in baseball but in hockey and basketball. The death of Bechler should be a wake up call for everyone; hopefully it will get some players to stop using it. However others would weigh the risk, and would continue to use it, as they are so determined to make it in their sport that they would be willing to shorten their lives, because their desire is so strong they are literally dying to make it.