[Lefty Noob]

Early this morning, Yahoo! Sports broke news of Operation Raw Deal, a massive 18-month long undercover operation led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that will, in the words of Yahoo! Sports writer Josh Peter, "produce the next steroids scandal in sports – and perhaps the biggest yet."

According to an article by Peter, "The undercover operation... resulted in the seizure of massive amounts of anabolic steroids from an illegal, underground network and the ability to identify hundreds of thousands of people who received steroids and other substances used by some athletes as performance-enhancing drugs, a DEA spokesman told Yahoo! Sports on Sunday... Also, federal officials are creating a database of names of the people who received steroids, human growth hormone (HGH) and other drugs banned by most sports leagues and athletic associations, DEA spokesman Rusty Payne said."

What does all this mean? According to a seperate article by Dan Wetzel, also of Yahoo! Sports, "For the world of sports, it represents both the best- and worst-case scenarios in the fight against drug cheats. It is a potential historic breakthrough toward busting the offenders and cleaning up the games, but also a possible Armageddon of worst fears realized considering the scope of what might be discovered. The DEA says that due to the massive amount of evidence collected, they will be able to compile a centralized list and database of all the people linked to the case.

"Not just the dealers and distributors, but everyone who purchased or received even a single shipment of some kind of performance-enhancing drug linked to this investigation in the United States in the last two years... The list, a DEA spokesperson said, should contain 'hundreds of thousands of names.' ... For the major professional sports organizations such as the National Football League and Major League Baseball that list is both a dream come true and a potential nightmare... Never before has so much evidence been collected. The list is exponentially longer than anything ever previously compiled."

Check out the details of the bust and the possible fallout at:
* 'Roids raids - Yahoo! Sports
* Armageddon for athletes - Yahoo! Sports

[EmpireWF]

I wonder how many pro athletes were involved with these overseas dealers. You'd have to imagine at least some pro athletes would go to the best source to get the drugs. Meaning, they wouldn't rely on shady overseas dealers. Then again, if they have an addiction to the stuff...maybe not.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by EmpireWF

I wonder how many pro athletes were involved with these overseas dealers. You'd have to imagine at least some pro athletes would go to the best source to get the drugs. Meaning, they wouldn't rely on shady overseas dealers. Then again, if they have an addiction to the stuff...maybe not.

Well, two possible benefits of going overseas - little to no paper trail, and possible chemical advances in undetectability.

Of course, that little no to paper trail thing... I guess that's out. After all, the feds have discovered mountains of paperwork, apparently.

[EmpireWF]

But without any regulations on what can be used, would you risk your life for the drugs?

...well since an athlete may be interested in taking illegal supplements (illegal w/o a DR's prescription) to help them in whatever way....maybe they're not worried about their longterm life.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by EmpireWF

But without any regulations on what can be used, would you risk your life for the drugs?

I remember a few years back reading a Sports Illustrated article that asked a question, something like, "if you could take a wonder drug that was undetectable and would guarantee you'd be the best athlete in your sport for several years, but that you'd die before the age of 50, would you take it?" The results were overwhelming. Something like 2/3 or 3/4 of those polled (they might have been Olympians) said yes.

I wish I could find the actual numbers, but it's been a long time. Somehow I don't think that attitude has changed much.

[LSC9901]

WOW. I can't wait for this to break open. I wonder what Bonds is thinking now ??? Who will lawyer their way out of this ?? How many sports will it take in ??? Will it really even begin to clean it up ?? I doubt it. There is always yet another source.

Sooo many questions.

[EmpireWF]

From The Washington Post....about the make-up of the database of names:

"The massive probe could have unusual and unnerving repercussions for the clientele of the labs, as the DEA has begun compiling a database of names of those who ordered or participated in illicit performance-enhancing drug activities through the labs for the use of all law enforcement bodies in the United States, Simmons said.

Simmons declined to elaborate on the intended use or makeup of the database, which he said is being assembled from hundreds of thousands of e-mails and Internet exchanges. He said it would be up to the individual U.S. attorney's offices prosecuting the cases -- at least five, including the southern districts of New York and California, are involved -- to decide how to handle information that arises regarding well-known athletes. "

[Lefty Noob]

This is gonna be huge, probably bigger than Balco and the internet one combined. I wonder how long it'll be until we start hearing names.

[LSC9901]

Any bets as to whether or not the name of Barry Bonds appears ?????

[EmpireWF]

LSC...I wouldn't count on it. Unless Anderson spills the beans (he's still rotting in prison, refusing to talk). Bonds got his stuff from BALCO and through Anderson.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by EmpireWF

LSC...I wouldn't count on it. Unless Anderson spills the beans (he's still rotting in prison, refusing to talk). Bonds got his stuff from BALCO and through Anderson.

So Barry used a reliable source instead of some foreign company. Wow that is good. Buy American. Gotta love him for that.

Sorry ... it's funny to me.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

So Barry used a reliable source instead of some foreign company. Wow that is good. Buy American. Gotta love him for that.

Sorry ... it's funny to me.

Ha ha, yeah, when you put it that way, it does sound funny.

[Bette]

I'm worried about who else will be named on that list.

[EmpireWF]

Yahoo! Sports says not to expect any U.S. Olympians to be on the list. The article also points out that it could be unlikely any American pro athletes will be found on the list. All they would have to do is use an alias or go through a physician and they won't be among any names on the list.

I've heard the majority of names collected by the DEA include high school athletes and bodybuilders.

[EmpireWF]

Congressman Tom Davis wants the DEA to go through the names ASAP.

There seems to be a dispute as to how many names are detailed as being purchasers of the illegal drugs. A DEA person says there is no list yet and it's being compiled right now. So any talk of there being thousands of names is wrong (and probably referring thousands of e-mails that have been "intercepted" by the government).

Congressman demands action - Yahoo! Sports