Editing Alex Rodriguez (section)

==Use of performance-enhancing drugs==
In July 2007, former outfielder and [[Doping in baseball|steroid-user]] [[Jose Canseco]] said that he was planning to publish another book about Major League Baseball to follow his 2005 bestseller ''[[Juiced (book)|Juiced]]''. Canseco said his new book would have "other stuff" on Rodriguez, and called him a hypocrite.<ref>{{cite web|date=July 29, 2007|title=A-Rod has no comment on Canseco's words about new book|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2953302|access-date=August 4, 2010|website=[[ESPN]]|publisher=}}</ref> At the time, Rodriguez denied accusations of steroid use.<ref>{{cite web|date=December 14, 2007|title=A-Rod denies using performance-enhancers|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22266538/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071215190111/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22266538/|archive-date=December 15, 2007|access-date=August 4, 2010|website=[[MSNBC]]|publisher=}}</ref> In a 2007 interview with [[Katie Couric]], Rodriguez flatly denied ever having used performance-enhancing drugs.<ref name="Questions"/>

In February 2009, [[Selena Roberts]] and David Epstein of ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' reported that Rodriguez had tested positive for two [[anabolic steroids]], [[testosterone (medication)|testosterone]] and [[Primobolan]], during his 2003 season playing for the Texas Rangers, the same season in which he captured his first American League [[Most Valuable Player]] award, broke 300 career home runs (hitting 47 that year),<ref name="YankeesPay">{{cite news|last=Araton|first=Harvey|date=February 7, 2009|title=Yankees Pay for Rodriguez in More Ways Than One|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/sports/baseball/08sotaraton.html|url-status=live|access-date=February 7, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409174346/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/sports/baseball/08sotaraton.html|archive-date=April 9, 2009}}</ref> and earned one of his ten [[Silver Slugger Award]]s. The information had been part of a government-sealed report detailing 104 [[Major League Baseball|major league]] players (out of 1200 players tested)<ref name="Glanville">{{cite news|last=Glanville|first=Doug|date=February 9, 2009|title=Understanding A-Rod|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/opinion/09glanville.html|url-status=live|access-date=February 10, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410102648/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/opinion/09glanville.html|archive-date=April 10, 2009}}</ref> who tested positive for performance enhancers during a 2003 drug [[Statistical survey|survey]]. Approved by the players themselves with the promise of anonymity,<ref name="Glanville"/> the survey was conducted by Major League Baseball to see whether a mandatory drug testing program might be necessary. At the time, as the result of a collectively bargained union agreement,<ref name="Glanville"/> there was no penalty or punishment for a positive test.<ref name="SIsteroids"/><ref name="NBCsteroid">{{cite news|date=February 7, 2008|title=Report: A-Rod tested positive for steroids in '03|work=[[NBC Sports]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/29068677/|url-status=dead|access-date=February 7, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090208183355/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/29068677/|archive-date=February 8, 2009}}</ref> Because more than 5% of the samples taken from players in 2003 came back positive, mandatory testing of major league baseball players began in 2004, with penalties for violations.<ref name="NYTsteroids"/>

[[File:Alex Rodriguez 2009 World Series Parade.jpg|thumb|Alex Rodriguez during the [[2009 World Series]] parade.]]
The 2003 test results were supposed to remain anonymous and the samples destroyed. However, a coded master list of 104 players was seized during the [[Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative|BALCO]] investigation, turning up in a 2004 federal raid on Comprehensive Drug Testing's facility in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], California. A month later, the physical samples were seized by federal agents raiding [[Quest Diagnostics]] in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas, Nevada]].<ref name="NYTsteroids">{{cite news|last=Schmidt|first=Michael S.|date=February 7, 2009|title=Alex Rodriguez Said to Test Positive in 2003|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/sports/baseball/08arod.html|url-status=live|access-date=February 7, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402052855/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/sports/baseball/08arod.html|archive-date=April 2, 2009}}</ref> The list of the 104 positive-testing players was released to the [[Major League Baseball Players Association]] (MLBPA) in 2004.<ref name="ESPNadmission"/> The players' union later said that the 104 positive samples were in the process of being destroyed when they were [[subpoena]]ed by federal authorities in November 2003, making continued destruction "improper."<ref name="NYTdenial" />

Although testosterone is available by prescription for some uses, Primobolan has no approved prescription use.<ref name="SIsteroids"/> Also known as ''methenolone'' or ''metenolone enanthate'', it is the same [[steroid]] that [[Barry Bonds]] is alleged to have tested positive for in 2000 and 2001.<ref name="NYTsteroids"/> A fairly weak steroid on its own, it is generally used in conjunction with other steroids.<ref name="StarLedgersteroids"/> The drug is generally preferred in injected rather than oral form due to its cost.<ref name="StarLedgersteroids">{{cite news|last=Prunty|first=Brendan|date=February 7, 2009|title=What is Primobolan?|work=[[The Star-Ledger]]|url=http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2009/02/what_is_primobolan.html|url-status=live|access-date=February 7, 2009|archive-url=https://archive.today/20090208145218/http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2009/02/what_is_primobolan.html|archive-date=February 8, 2009}}</ref> An official statement by Major League Baseball made shortly after Rodriguez's test results became public expressed "grave concern" without naming Rodriguez, noting that "because the survey testing that took place in 2003 was intended to be non-disciplinary and anonymous, we can not make any comment on the accuracy of this report as it pertains to the player named."<ref name="MLB">{{cite news|date=February 7, 2009|title=Major League Baseball Statement|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/sports/MLB_Statement_020709.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=February 7, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304145405/http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/sports/MLB_Statement_020709.pdf|archive-date=March 4, 2009}}</ref>

In an interview with ESPN after the report came out, citing "an enormous amount of pressure to perform", Rodriguez admitted to using banned substances from 2001 to 2003.<ref name="ESPNadmission"/> "All my years in New York have been clean", he added, saying he had not used banned substances since last taking them following a spring training injury in 2003 while playing for the Rangers.<ref name="ESPNadmission"/><ref name="NYTadmission"/> "Back then, [baseball] was a different culture", Rodriguez said. "It was very loose. I was young, I was stupid, I was naïve. And I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time. I did take a banned substance. And for that, I am very sorry and deeply regretful."<ref name="ESPNadmission"/><ref name="NYTadmission"/> Rodriguez said he could not be sure of the name(s) of the substance(s) he had used.<ref name="ESPNadmission"/><ref name="NYTadmission"/>

Rodriguez said he was never told that he was among the 104 players who tested positive, only that a tip came in August 2004 from [[Gene Orza]] of the [[Major League Baseball Players Association|MLBPA]] that he "may or may not have" failed his 2003 test.<ref name="ESPNadmission"/> Orza is accused by three (unnamed) MLB players of tipping Rodriguez to an upcoming drug test in September 2004. Orza and the MLBPA have denied the allegations.<ref name="NYTdenial">{{cite news|title=Union Official Says He Did Not Tip Off Rodriguez|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/sports/baseball/10orza.html|date=February 9, 2009|access-date=February 10, 2009|work=[[The New York Times]]|first=Michael S.|last=Schmidt| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090409174420/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/sports/baseball/10orza.html| archive-date=April 9, 2009| url-status=live}}</ref>

Rodriguez absolved the players' union of any blame for leaking his positive test results, saying he alone was responsible for his mistakes.<ref name="ESPNadmission"/> Friend and former teammate [[Doug Glanville]], while noting the outrage over Rodriguez's years of steroid use, berated Rodriguez's critics for their "lack of outrage about how a confidential and anonymous test could be made public."<ref name="Glanville"/> No Major League player, Glanville wrote, would have participated in the 2003 survey if he had thought the results had even a chance of becoming public. "It has everything to do with privacy. Being A-Rod should not change that fact."<ref name="Glanville"/>

MLB commissioner [[Bud Selig]] briefly considered whether to punish Rodriguez for his admitted steroid use, citing the illegality of the situation, among other things. However, at the time of the testing there were no punishments for this sort of activity.<ref>{{cite web|date=February 11, 2009|title=Selig considering options on A-Rod|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3900961|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215120859/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3900961|archive-date=February 15, 2009|access-date=March 12, 2009|website=[[ESPN]]|publisher=}}</ref> Additionally, his admission to three years of steroid use could be damaging to his image and legacy.<ref name="NYTadmission"/>

Later in the month, Rodriguez called a press conference in [[Tampa, Florida]], and in the presence of many supportive Yankee teammates, answered reporters' questions about his 2001–2003 steroid use.<ref name="Questions">{{cite news|last=Kepner|first=Tyler|date=February 17, 2009|title=As Team Looks On, Rodriguez Details His Use of Steroids|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/sports/baseball/18yankees.html|url-status=live|access-date=February 17, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310001708/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/sports/baseball/18yankees.html|archive-date=March 10, 2009}}</ref><ref name="ARodBlog">{{cite news|last=Schwarz|first=Alan|date=February 17, 2009|title=As It Happened: The A-Rod News Conference|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/as-it-happens-watching-a-rod/|url-status=live|access-date=February 17, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219021506/http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/as-it-happens-watching-a-rod/|archive-date=February 19, 2009}}</ref> Rodriguez said he and a cousin (whom he refused to name) bought an unidentified drug [[over-the-counter drug|over-the-counter]] in the Dominican Republic, where it is "known on the streets as boli or bollee."<ref name="Questions"/><ref name="Transcript">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/sports/baseball/17arod-statement.html|title=Rodriguez Statement on Drug Use|date=February 17, 2009|access-date=February 17, 2009|work=[[The New York Times]]|first=Alex|last=Rodriguez| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090310070816/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/sports/baseball/17arod-statement.html| archive-date= March 10, 2009 | url-status=live}}</ref> At Rodriguez's instruction, the cousin transported the drug into the United States.<ref name="JeterDefends">{{cite news|last=Hoch|first=Bryan|date=February 18, 2008|title=Jeter defends A-Rod, attacks critics|work=[[MLB.com]]|publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090218&content_id=3844658|url-status=live|access-date=February 18, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106053217/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090218&content_id=3844658|archive-date=November 6, 2012}}</ref> For six months of the year, Rodriguez injected himself twice monthly with "boli" (a drug name unfamiliar to experts and perhaps a slang term for Primobolan or [[Dianabol]], although the latter steroid is taken orally).<ref name="Questions"/> Rodriguez said he did not know whether he was using the drug properly or whether it was safe.<ref name="Questions"/> Although he "certainly felt more energy", Rodriguez said it would be "hard to say" whether it gave him a competitive edge.<ref name="ARodBlog"/>

Rodriguez said he would become a spokesperson for the [[Travis Tygart|Taylor Hooton foundation]], which educates young people about the dangers of steroid use.<ref name="Questions"/><ref name="ARodBlog"/> He has since spoken at schools about the dangers of steroids.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Connolly|first1=Dan|last2=Gencer|first2=Arin|date=September 1, 2009|title=A-Rod gives anti-steroid talk to area students|work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-alex-rodriguez-steroids-0901,0,188902.story|url-status=live|access-date=September 2, 2009|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629135750/http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-alex-rodriguez-steroids-0901,0,188902.story|archive-date=June 29, 2012}}</ref>

On February 28, 2010, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that Rodriguez had received treatment from Canadian sports doctor [[Anthony Galea]] in March 2009.<ref name=balco>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/01/sports/01galea.html|title=Taking Balco Approach, Authorities Interview Athletes Linked to Galea|date=February 28, 2010|work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=December 15, 2009 | first=Michael S. | last=Schmidt}}</ref> In 2011, Galea reached a plea agreement for bringing unapproved and mislabeled drugs into the United States, including [[human growth hormone]] (HGH) and [[Actovegin]]. Galea confirmed to the [[Associated Press]] that he had treated Rodriguez but claimed that he had only prescribed [[anti-inflammatories]].<ref name="Galea">{{cite news|date=March 8, 2010|title=Charged doc says he wrote A-Rod script|work=[[ESPN]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/spring2010/news/story?id=4976904|access-date=January 21, 2014}}</ref>

===Biogenesis scandal===
{{main|Biogenesis scandal}}
Between 2010 and 2012, Rodriguez reportedly received HGH from Biogenesis of America, an anti-aging clinic in [[Coral Gables, Florida]], run by Bosch.<ref name="schmidt_04112013">{{cite news|last1=Schmidt|first1=Michael S.|last2=Eder|first2=Steve|date=April 11, 2013|title=Baseball Pays for Clinic Documents Tied to Doping Case|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/12/sports/baseball/documents-at-anti-aging-clinic-up-for-sale-in-doping-case.html|url-status=live|access-date=June 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606173223/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/12/sports/baseball/documents-at-anti-aging-clinic-up-for-sale-in-doping-case.html|archive-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref> For much of the summer of 2013, it had been expected that Rodriguez would be suspended for his role in the scandal. The first definitive confirmation came on August 3, 2013, when MLB rebuffed the players' union's last-minute offer to negotiate. Instead, it allowed Rodriguez until the afternoon of August 4 to reach an agreement regarding a suspension or greater punishment for his role in the Biogenesis affair.<ref>{{cite web|last=Townsend|first=Mark|date=August 3, 2013|title=MLB, Yankees done negotiating settlements with A-Rod|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/report-mlb-yankees-done-negotiating-settlements-rod-211418975.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130807033848/https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/report-mlb-yankees-done-negotiating-settlements-rod-211418975.html|archive-date=August 7, 2013|access-date=August 3, 2013|website=[[Yahoo! Sports]]|publisher=}}</ref>

On August 5, MLB suspended Rodriguez from August 8 through the end of the 2014 season for violating the league's PED policy, a term that was to include a total of 211 regular-season games plus any postseason games. He was one of 13 players suspended for their roles in the scandal.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Tim|date=August 5, 2013|title=Alex Rodriguez, 12 other players suspended by MLB for Biogenesis ties|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/alex-rodriguez--12-other-players-suspended-by-mlb-for-biogenesis-ties-190349300.html|access-date=August 13, 2013|website=[[Yahoo! Sports]]|publisher=}}</ref> In its official statement, MLB announced that the suspension was based on Rodriguez's "use and possession of numerous forms of prohibited performance-enhancing substances, including Testosterone and human Growth Hormone, over the course of multiple years" and "for attempting to cover-up his violations of the Program by engaging in a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the Office of the Commissioner's investigation."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hoch|first1=Bryan|last2=Nowak|first2=Joey|date=August 6, 2013|title=A-Rod suspended through 2014 season|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130729&content_id=55168796&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb|access-date=August 6, 2013|website=[[MLB.com]]|publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]}}</ref> Although the standard punishment for a first offense under MLB's drug policy is 50 games, MLB had the option of suspending Rodriguez for a longer term under the collective bargaining agreement if it had determined that his actions constituted conduct detrimental to baseball.<ref>{{cite web|last=Haudricourt|first=Tom|url=http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/ryan-braun-suspension-includes-violation-for-basic-agreement-b9965565z1-217697481.html|title=Ryan Braun suspension includes violation for basic agreement|work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]|date=July 30, 2013|access-date=August 7, 2016}}</ref>

Almost immediately after the suspension was announced, Rodriguez announced that he would appeal. He was the only player to do so; the others accepted season-ending 50-game suspensions without appeal.<ref>{{cite web|date=August 5, 2013|title=MLB suspends 13, including A-Rod|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/9540755/mlb-bans-13-including-alex-rodriguez-new-york-yankees-2014|access-date=August 13, 2013|website=[[ESPN]]|publisher=}}</ref> Although MLB commissioner [[Bud Selig]] had the option of using his best-interests-of-baseball powers to remove Rodriguez from the field immediately, he chose to suspend Rodriguez under the drug agreement and not the CBA, allowing Rodriguez to continue playing while the appeal was under way. The proposed suspension would include a global lock clause, which would also prevent him from playing in other known leagues, such as [[Nippon Professional Baseball]] and the [[Korea Baseball Championship]], as the leagues in those nations honor any suspensions imposed by MLB.<ref name="nytimes.com"/> Rodriguez hired New York criminal defense lawyer Joe Tacopina.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2014/11/rods-lawyer-declares-victory-no-indictment.html |title=A-Rod's Lawyer Declares Victory: 'He Didn't Get Indicted' |work=New York Intelligencer |last=Fishman |first=Steve |date=November 14, 2014 |access-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref>

A lengthy arbitration process followed, but the suspension was upheld on January 11, 2014. However, because Rodriguez was allowed to play during the appeal process, this effectively reduced the suspension to 162 games, the entirety of the 2014 regular-season schedule. Because Rodriguez was on the suspended list retroactive through August 31, the suspension would have included the postseason if the Yankees had qualified, although the team failed to reach the playoffs. Rodriguez issued a statement announcing that he would challenge the decision in federal court.<ref name=162games /> On February 7, 2014, Rodriguez announced his decision to abandon his lawsuit and accept the suspension for the 2014 season.<ref>{{cite web|author=Matthews, Wallace|date=February 7, 2014|title=Alex Rodriguez drops lawsuits|url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/10420424/alex-rodriguez-new-york-yankees-withdraws-lawsuit-overturn-suspension|access-date=February 7, 2014|work=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> In March 2014, multiple sources reported that Rodriguez had refused to pay the balance of his legal fees, which amounted to more than $3&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|last=Townsend|first=Mark|date=March 23, 2014|title=Report: Alex Rodriguez still owes as much as $3 million in legal fees|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/big-league-stew/report-alex-rodriguez-still-owes-much-3-million-074157398--mlb.html|access-date=March 4, 2015|work=[[Yahoo! Sports]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Heyman|first=Jon|date=March 20, 2014|title=Alex Rodriguez's refusal to pay lawyers latest in series of bad acts|url=http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24493066/alex-rodriguez-so-far-refuses-to-pay-large-portion-of-legal-fees|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320185308/http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24493066/alex-rodriguez-so-far-refuses-to-pay-large-portion-of-legal-fees|archive-date=March 20, 2014|access-date=March 4, 2015|work=[[CBS Sports]]}}</ref> In July 2014, Rodriguez was sued by his lawyers for $380,000 in unpaid legal fees.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Thompson|first1=Teri|last2=Red|first2=Christian|last3=O'Keeffe|first3=Michael|date=July 15, 2014|title=Alex Rodriguez sued by lawyer over $380K in unpaid legal|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/i-team/alex-rodriguez-sued-lawyer-380k-unpaid-legal-article-1.1866604|access-date=June 19, 2015|work=[[New York Daily News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=July 14, 2014|title=Alex Rodriguez sued over lawyer fees|url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/11215742/alex-rodriguez-new-york-yankees-sued-alleged-unpaid-attorney-fees|access-date=June 19, 2015|work=[[ESPN]]|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

In November 2014, it was revealed that in the previous January, Rodriguez had admitted to the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] that he had used performance-enhancing drugs.<ref>{{cite web|author=Weaver|first=Jay|date=November 5, 2014|title=Alex Rodriguez's DEA confession: Yes, I used steroids from fake Miami doctor|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mlb/article3578762.html|access-date=November 5, 2014|website=[[Miami Herald]]|publisher=}}</ref> This was contrary to his comments of 18 days earlier when he had vehemently refuted the allegations and denied having used human growth hormones.