Ever since using steroids has been made illegal, controversies sprang up about athletes using steroids to help them play better. Rafael Palmeiro is one of them. He is a baseball star and was investigated for using steroids. He testified and denied ever using steroids before the House Congressional Committee. Palmeiro apologized to his family, fans and teammates about the controversy.

When Palmeiro was tested in May, his results were positive for steroids. He denied using steroids and he does not know how it got into his body. His personal belongings like supplements and vitamins were also tested but nobody ever found steroids. The Major League Player’s Association questioned him about the steroids and he later on said that it could have been the vitamin B12 that his teammate gave him. He took the vitamin B12 in April. Vitamins are not banned but the vitamin B12 could have been tainted with steroids. This led him to testify before the Committee of Congress.

Testimonies before the Congressional Committee are under oath. Despite his denials, evidence strong shows that he has steroids in his body. The Major League Baseball suspended Palmeiro from playing baseball on August 1, 2005 and he was made to tell his story to the public. While he was undergoing suspension, the Committee kept on investigating his case. Palmeiro was helpful in providing information about events which led to his suspension. 

All throughout the process, Palmeiro’s counsel assisted him. Palmeiro’s lawyers have some comments of their own. They claim that the media is publishing bogus information. The news reported to the public by the media were all based from uninformed speculation, and unchecked leaks.  The media did not properly portray the real situation and Rafael is now mischaracterized.

Palmeiro said that when he took the random drug testing, he was not afraid of the results because he knew that he did not take steroids. When the results were positive, he right away asked to be tested again. On the second test, his body showed negative for steroids. Despite that, he was still suspended. Palmeiro filed a complaint with the Major League Baseball’s HPAC (Health Policy Committee).

But HPAC ruled in favor of Palmeiro and said that he had a realistic source to challenge the test results. Arbitration proceedings took place which led to the suspension of Palmeiro. He was banned because he could not prove how the steroid was in the vitamin B12. Then the panel continued by stating that their judgment does not mean that they believe that Palmeiro was lying. This could mean more controversy.