Posted By:
HankronConcerning the legality. For some though not all steroid and related substances, they are illegal until legalized and not the other way around (legal until someone finds out and say they're banned). For the wide range of drug types under their jurisdiction, the substances are not legal until the FDA approves it.
In other words, I beleive it is an iffy off the cuff argument to say that some of these steroids were neccesarilly legal to because MLB hadn't banned them. In fact, the International Olympic Committee said that TGH was illegal from invention under its drug rules even though they didn't even know about it until much later.
It is also worthy to note that MLB's and union agreements cannot and does not trump federal law as it relates to drugs and such substances. The way a MLB agreement or contract is written cannot make illegal practices or substances legal. That the Union does not allow drug testing for or mention of substace A (whether's cocaine or non-FDA approved drug), cannot be interpreted that it is okay or legal for a player to use it. In fact, if it was interpreted that baseball agreements were intentionally promoting the use of illegal substances or practices (such as accounting to avoid taxes), baseball and its executives might find itself under federal prosecution or Congressional restructuring.