By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Ma Hae-young has softened his earlier claims of widespread steroid use in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), saying that very few active local players in the (KBO) use performance-enhancing drugs.
Ma said in his autobiography published Tuesday that he had witnessed quite a few Korean players using steroids during his career.
The remarks by the 38-year-old former All-Star have brought the use of performance enhancing drugs by players to the forefront of the KBO.
``User rate for local players is very low. A single-digit (number) of players from all eight clubs use steroids,'' Ma, who works for a sport cable network, Xports, said before a game between the Doosan Bears and Lotte Giants on the same day.
``Most of those who used it were imported players, although there were a few suspected ones among local players.
``I will never name who used the drugs and hope baseball will cut the tie with steroid use.''
In light of Ma's allegations, some baseball managers have called for a more intensive drug testing program, and also called for Ma to name the players he saw taking steroids.
``Ma should have revealed who took the drugs,'' said Hanwha Eagles boss Kim In-sik on Tuesday.
Kim agrees there should be universal testing for all players, not just imports.
``As for foreign players, all eight clubs must have drug tests twice a year, and as HIV/AIDS test are done before they sign with each team, the drug test should also be conducted.
``And so regular tests should be applied to local players, too.''
SK Wyverns head coach Kim Sung-keun is on the same page as Kim In-sik.
``Who used drugs has been an unknown fact in the league. Right now, some foreign players are rumored to be linked to them,'' he said.
``Doing the test once a year is not effective.''
The baseball governing body plans to hear from Ma about his allegations soon and also plans to increase the number of tests for imports.
``As Ma said, it is undeniable that Korean players are affected by foreign players. So the KBO will have mandatory test for all imported,'' KBO official director Jeong Keum-jo said.
Due to high cost of drug testing ― 300,000 won per player ― the KBO has chosen not to conduct tests on all league players.
``And as for Korean players, we will increase the number of samples and frequency in an attempt to check almost all players.''
The KBO began drug testing in 2007, with three players chosen at random from each team. In 2008, the league conducted two more rounds of testing. A total of 72 players were tested, none of whom tested positive for performance enhancing substances.