Press Release

Cummings Statement on A-Rod's Steroid Use

Washington, D.C.— Today, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released the following statement in response to reports that MLB player Alex Rodriguez admitted his past steroid use:   “While I was disappointed to learn that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroid use, I admire him for demonstrating the courage to come forward and be honest. A-Rod is one of the most talented players in Major League Baseball and is therefore a role model to so many young people. We are all guilty of making mistakes, but what distinguishes a true hero is the ability to acknowledge those mistakes and the commitment to learn from them.   “The ripple effect caused by steroid abuse in professional sports extends far beyond the individual user and questions of fairness in the game. When the issue of steroid abuse is kept quiet, it is our young people who suffer. We have worked hard in the Congress to curb the use of performance-enhancing drugs in professional baseball because we learned that many young people were using these substances while emulating their role models, often harming their physical and mental health in the process.   “Mr. Rodriguez made the right move by admitting his mistake, and he must now go one step further by working with us to spread the message that performance enhancing drugs are illegal, unethical, and—most importantly—harmful to our young people. I am asking him to join Powered by ME!, a unique steroids education campaign in Baltimore, and come before student athletes to help us put an end to the myth that steroids are not only acceptable, but also safe. It is my hope that he will join us in this effort.”   ###