Los Angeles Times - Sports

Taylor Hooton, 17, committed suicide; his parents say it was because of mood swings brought on by steroids. Young people need to know that even for a major-league star, there are consequences for steroid use.

The answer to the question of why Congress would spend time and money attempting to prove that a prominent athlete lied is found in a name.

Taylor Hooton.

The government might not have backed off on the pursuit of the truth about Roger Clemens, anyway, given the nature of the high-profile hearing Feb. 13, 2008, that seemed to leave an odor of perjury in those hallowed chambers. But it really can't back off on Taylor Hooton.

Harken back to March 17, 2005. That was the day Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro appeared before the congressional Committee on Oversight that was looking into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. Sosa and Palmeiro denied usage. Palmeiro later admitted to not telling the truth and Sosa was found to have tested positive in 2003. McGwire stonewalled the questions with his infamous "I don't want to talk about the past" and finally admitted his drug usage this spring, just before taking a job as the Cardinals' batting coach.

This 2005 hearing also brought sharp exchanges between Congress and both baseball ownership and the union sides. Committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-Va.) led the way as the group quizzed Commissioner Bud Selig and union chief Donald Fehr. Those proceedings prompted Davis' famous line: "There's a cloud over the game I love."

During the session, Don Hooton was called to testify about the death of his 17-year-old son, Taylor, nephew of former major league pitcher Burt Hooton.

Don Hooton told how Taylor had hanged himself in his room July 15, 2003. He had wanted to become a major leaguer, like his uncle. His parents had noticed rapid increase in muscle and size, plus acne and mood swings, but hadn't understood why. Before Taylor was even taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, a police detective started asking his parents about the syringes and vials of medicine in his room. His cause of death was listed as suicide. His parents say it was the result of hormonal imbalance from steroids, causing severe mood swings.

Don Hooton told Congress that day: "I believe the poor example being set by professional athletes is a major catalyst fueling the high use of steroids among our kids. Our kids look up to these guys. They want to do the things the pros do to be successful."

He also said, "Players guilty of taking steroids are not only cheaters, you are cowards."

The room was hushed.

More than five years have passed. Most in that room remember. Those close to Selig say it affected him deeply. Don Hooton formed a foundation in his son's name, and one of the foundation's first honorees was Selig.

That day sent Selig out with his jaw set. Baseball's long-serving commissioner is not one to duck a tough issue. It may go excruciatingly slowly, but he takes it on. This time, he took it on by hiring George Mitchell, the internationally known Washington diplomat and negotiator. Mitchell had bartered peace in Northern Ireland, so how tough would it be to analyze the depth of the drug problem in baseball and fix it too?

The Mitchell Report was made public Dec. 13, 2007. Names were named. Generalities became specifics. It was firm and fair. Its strength was its underkill, and to this day, it stands unsullied.

Congress also understands that it lit the fire that brought the Mitchell Report. So when Clemens came knocking, asking for a public airing on his inclusion as a drug user in the report, fairness dictated that they give him one. Certainly, new Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Davis and the committee in 2008 would have been perfectly comfortable with the report, with a post-report trickle of fessing-up and with a perception of closure brought by Mitchell's recommendations for the future.

But there was Clemens, demanding his day in front of the cameras. So Waxman and Davis said OK, told him there was nothing to worry about, just as long as he told the truth and understood that lying to Congress can get you in big trouble.

We all saw what transpired, and the government, having warned Clemens, had no alternative but to recommend a longer look. That was done by a group of citizens making up a grand jury. They, too, are aware of the current strain of government spending on the economy, but they said indict.

Now Clemens will go to trial. He can plea bargain out anytime, but he would have to admit things and show remorse. So far, no signs of that.

Clemens may not be guilty. There may be something we are all missing, as we watched his former trainer Brian McNamee testify that he injected Clemens with steroids, and his good friend Andy Pettitte's claim in a deposition that Clemens told him he had used human growth hormone, and we were astounded by Clemens' feeble defense of Pettitte misremembering, and everybody else, in his view, lying. Or, Clemens may have convinced himself he is innocent. Psychologists say people can do that.

Justice now needs to be played out, not swept under the rug because of costs. That's so the next teenager thinking about enhancing a performance with chemicals can see how that whole thing played out for one of the better pitchers in the history of baseball.

Congress has gone ahead because it serves all people in this country, certainly including Taylor Hooton.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dwyre-roger-clemens-20100824,0,6154719.story

Groundbreaking program unmatched by any other U.S. or Canadian University

(Dallas, TX)—Aug. 19, 2010– Today, Taylor Hooton Foundation (THF), the leading organization dedicated to combating steroid abuse, announced that it would assist University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, in conducting anti-performance enhancing drug educational programs for the University’s athletic staff and student-athletes.

Under this agreement, the Foundation will provide comprehensive anti-performance enhancing drug educational programs for all of Waterloo’s student-athletes, coaches, training staff, and strength and conditioning staff.  Foundation-led educational seminars will be mandatory for all of the University’s interuniversity athletes, which total roughly 560 student-athletes.  In addition, all of the University’s coaches, full-time training staff, and strength and conditioning staff, totaling approximately 100-plus individuals, will be required to complete the Foundation’s online training program.  These programs will begin this Fall (2010).

Don Hooton, President of the Taylor Hooton Foundation said, “We are extremely excited to be working with University of Waterloo.  Waterloo’s efforts to educate its student-athletes and athletic staff are unparalleled.  No other university in the United States or Canada has made as strong a commitment to combating this problem.”  

“It became clear to us that we must enhance educational efforts on our campus to combat this issue. We are very encouraged by the pioneering work being done by the Taylor Hooton Foundation to educate athletes, athletic staff and others about the risks associated with the use of banned substances,” said Bob Copeland, the Director, of Athletics & Recreational Services for the University.  “We look forward to continuing to work with the Hooton Foundation to ensure that the University of Waterloo’s athletic programs effectively address the problem of performance enhancing drug use,” he added.

Last season, a significant number of the University’s football players were found to be using banned substance. The University suspended the program from competing for a period of one year and placed the head coach on leave, pending the results of a report.

The report, which was released this week, revealed that players felt the need to take banned substances in order to compete at the college level. The report also found that the previous educational efforts for student-athletes were “ineffective.” The report determined that “there is a need for more effective education of players, particularly on the adverse health affects.” The report also called for more education and training of coaches, trainers, and health care professionals.

The Taylor Hooton Foundation was recently certified by the Texas Education Agency as an approved provider of continuing education programs.  The Foundation’s comprehensive, research-based online anti-performance enhancing drug training program for coaches and other athletic staff are the first such programs available.  “We created our online program to ensure that coaches, trainers, and other athletic staff who work with our children have the facts and can guide young people to make good, healthy and ethical choices—whether they are in Canada or Florida,” said Hooton.

For information about the Foundation’s educational programs contact the Foundation at: 972-403-7300.

Did he or didn't he?

Virtually every high profile performance enhancing drug user has vehemently denied their usage right up until the point that they are forced to admit their behavior.  Will this be the case with Lance Armstrong?  Or is he innocent?

Don

'Steroid Cop' hot on Armstrong's tail, er, tale

Former IRS agent helped investigate Bonds, Jones

By James Bone, The Daily Telegraph, August 17, 2010

Lance Armstrong, the American cyclist, cancer survivor and seven-time winner of the Tour de France, is a fast-moving target. But Jeff Novitzky, a 6-7, 225-pound former taxman, is in hot pursuit. And he might be even faster.

Novitzky has earned a reputation as the United States's "Steroid Cop" for his high-profile, anti-doping investigations of some of the biggest names in sport, most notably Barry Bonds and Marion Jones.

He now appears to be targeting Armstrong. Novitzky has reportedly obtained records of years-old doping allegations against Armstrong, contacted his sponsors and interviewed other former members of the U.S. Postal Service team that once starred Armstrong.

Greg LeMond, a cyclist who has won the Tour de France three times, has said that he will co-operate in the Novitzky investigation, predicting that it will produce overwhelming evidence against Armstrong.

It was Novitzky's efforts that forced Jones, the much-decorated U.S. sprinter, to admit drug use and give back the three gold medals and two bronzes that she won at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

She served six months in jail. Her former boyfriend, Tim Montgomery, was also stripped of his 100 metres world record.

Novitzky also exposed alleged steroid abuse by Bonds, the home run king of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, who is due to go on trial for perjury next year.

The investigation caused uproar as dozens of big-name major-leaguers -- Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, Rafael Palmiero, Andy Petitte -- were eventually implicated in doping.

"For all of those who love clean sport, Jeff Novitzky deserves a statue in the Hall of Fame," says Travis Tygart, the head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, who has worked with him for years.

"It speaks volumes to me when you have athletes who have been caught cheating by his investigations who have immense respect for him."

Novitzky, then a taxman for the Internal Revenue Service, began his anti-doping crusade in the late-1980s when he heard from friends in San Francisco about the activities of a local sports nutrition lab called Balco, run by Victor Conte.

Now employed by the Food and Drug Administration, Novitzky said in court testimony two years ago: "I learned from a couple of sources of friends, coaches, athletes and family that Victor Conte had moved on from the nutritional supplement business to actually providing athletes with performance-enhancing drugs."

He recounted how he would make midnight forays to rifle through the rubbish bins outside Balco. He seized needles containing human growth hormone, the endurance-boosting EPO hormone and strength-building anabolic steroids.

"During our surveillance, we saw many elite athletes arriving at Balco and, after a short period of time, leave Balco," he said.

Novitzky became interested in doping in cycling after a landlord found a cache of performance-enhancing drugs in an apartment vacated by Kayle Leogrande, a little-known cyclist with a doping ban.

In April, American Floyd Landis, a one-time cycling star who was stripped of the 2006 Tour de France title for doping, accused Armstrong and other former teammates of taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Armstrong, 38, has reacted strongly to the allegations, saying last month that he would deny doping "as long as I live."

An investigating grand jury has been convened in Los Angeles to look into the claims. Armstrong, who has hired a criminal defence lawyer, said that he would willingly co-operate with a legitimate inquiry -- but not a "witch-hunt."

Be that as it may, says Tygart, the anti-doping agency boss, if Armstrong has used drugs Novitzky will find out eventually.

"The guy is relentless and he is fastidious," he says. "He will leave no stone uncovered until he has satisfied himself that he either has the goods, or there is no case.

"If Armstrong is not being straight about his past, he should be worried.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/Steroid+Armstrong+tail+tale/3406387/story.html#ixzz0wsGFpoNt

ANN ARBOR, Mich. and FRISCO, Tex – NSF International, a global public health and safety organization, has formed a partnership with the Taylor Hooton Foundation, an anti-steroid foundation, to help protect young athletes from the dangers of performance enhancing drugs. As part of the partnership, NSF International is developing educational resources for the Foundation to use to educate students at seminars and high school presentations.

These resources include www.nsfsport.com, a website NSF launched last year to provide educational information and news on sports nutrition to athletes. The website includes a searchable database of NSF-certified sports nutrition products that have been screened for athletic banned substances.

The Taylor Hooton Foundation for Fighting Steroid Abuse is a non-profit corporation created in memory of Taylor E. Hooton, a 17-year old student athlete who died in 2003 as a result of anabolic steroid use. Together, NSF International and the Taylor Hooton Foundation will help educate amateur athletes, their parents and coaches about the dangers of performance enhancing drug use, including those potentially found in unmarked, untested and non-certified dietary supplements.

In 2002, The International Olympic Committee (IOC) tested 240 over-the-counter sports nutrition products and found that 18 percent contained banned substances such as anabolic androgenic steroids that were not listed on the product’s label.

“Over-the-counter sports supplements like those tested by the IOC are available everywhere and can be purchased by anyone. The best way to protect young athletes is to educate them on the dangers of steroids and steroid-like substances and point them to sport nutrition products that have been tested and certified to be free of these substances,” said Don Hooton, President of the Taylor Hooton Foundation.

NSF International developed an Athletic Banned Substances Certification program (Certified for Sport™) in 2004 in response to the growing demands by athletes, coaches, team owners and others concerned about banned substances in sports nutrition products.  The Certified for Sport™ program verifies that what is on the label is in the bottle and that the product does not contain undeclared ingredients or unacceptable levels of contaminants. The certification program also includes screening for over 140 banned or prohibited substances, a toxicology review to verify product formulation and marketing claims, and manufacturing facility inspections to ensure the products are produced in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).  Ongoing monitoring via periodic auditing and testing verifies continued compliance with these requirements.

“NSF developed the Certified for Sport program as part of our ongoing mission to protect human health. We were concerned about the widespread availability of banned substances and other performance-enhancing drugs marketed and sold as supplements on the Internet and elsewhere. Our partnership with the Taylor Hooton Foundation allows us to educate high school students, parents and coaches about the risks involved in taking these substances,” said Ed Wyszumiala, General Manager of the NSF International Dietary Supplement Certification programs.

Major League Baseball (MLB), the primary sponsor of The Taylor Hooton Foundation, uses the NSF Certified for Sport™ Program to certify the products their athletes use.  The NFL, the NFL Player’s Association, PGA, LPGA and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) all have chosen NSF’s Certified for Sport™ program to help verify the products their athletes use are free of banned substances.

To schedule an interview with Ed Wyszumiala or for additional information on the NSF International/Taylor Hooton Foundation partnership, contact Greta Houlahan at 734.913.5723 or houlahan@nsf.org. You also may visit NSF’s website for more information on the NSF Certified for Sport Program.

About NSF International: NSF International, an independent, not-for-profit organization, certifies products and writes standards for food, water and consumer goods to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (www.nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment.

NSF’s Dietary Supplement Certification program verifies that what is on the label is in the bottle and that the product does not contain undeclared ingredients or contaminants. NSF’s Athletic Banned Substances Certification program builds on the dietary supplement certification program by including screening that ensures the product does not contain banned or prohibited substances. MLB, the MLB Player’s Association, NFL, the NFL Player’s Association, PGA, LPGA and the CCES have all chosen NSF’s Certified for Sport™ program to help verify the products their athletes use are safer and free of banned substances.