Seven-time pitcher of the year Roger Clemens was one of the most prominent players identified on Thursday in Major League Baseball's (MLB) long-awaited investigation into doping, linked along with more than 80 players to performance-enhancing drugs that put a question mark next to some of US baseball's biggest moments.
Home run record holder Barry Bonds, already under indictment on charges of lying to a federal grand jury about doping, former player of the year Miguel Tejada and former All-Star Andy Pettitte were also identified on Thursday in MLB's most notorious moment since the "Black Sox" scandal.
The Black Sox were so branded when eight players of the Chicago White Sox were accused of intentionally losing the 1919 World Series championship.
Known as the Mitchell Report after its author -- former US Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell -- the 20-month investigation was commissioned by MLB commissioner Bud Selig to examine doping in US baseball.
Seven player-of-the-year award winners were identified in the report along with a supporting cast good enough to field an All-Star at every position.
Clemens, who had denied the allegations, was singled out in nearly nine pages, 82 references by name. Much of the information on Clemens came from former New York Yankees strength and conditioning coach Brian McNamee.
"The illegal use of performance-enhancing substances poses a serious threat to the integrity of the game," the report said. "Widespread use by players of such substances unfairly disadvantages the honest athletes who refuse to use them and raises questions about the validity of baseball records."
MLB has never adhered to international doping rules. Players and club owners agreed to testing late in the 2002 season. The program has been modified since then to include more substances and penalties have been increased for violations.
While records by the offenders identified are unlikely to be voided, several of those mentioned could see their chance for enshrinement in the US Baseball Hall of Fame diminished.
"Everyone involved in baseball over the past two decades -- commissioners, club officials, the players' association and players -- shares to some extent the responsibility for the Steroids Era," Mitchell said.
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