Jose Canseco doesn’t have a TUE which permits an athlete to use steroids

Jose Canseco, a former player of the Major League Baseball, refused to submit to a urine analysis for steroids, when he tried to return to the Mexican Baseball League. It was earlier claimed that the “Tigres de Quintana” of Cancun gave him the 2nd chance and invited him to join to the team. This baseball player didn’t agree to submit to steroid testing which had to be done by officers of the Mexico’s National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport (CONADE). CONADE represents government agency that manages Olympic sports in Mexico. Cuauhtemoc Rodriguez Meza, the chief executive officer of this baseball team, stated that Jose Canseco would not be permitted to play for the team because he had admitted that he used forbidden drugs. Jose Canseco admitted that he was on testosterone replacement therapy under supervision of a health care provider in the US. He mentioned that he was receiving TRT since 2008. This player was not surprised by the requirement to submit to urine sample for steroids. This sportsman wrote on his Twitter account last month that the Minor League Baseball would have testing for forbidden preparations. As it is known, any athlete may utilize steroids for TRT and participate in competitions, if he/she has received a therapeutic use exemption (TUE). A TUE allows intake of banned drugs, if it is supported by medical needs. It is obvious that Jose Canseco has prescription from his physician that indicates about his need to receive TRT. But he hasn’t obtained a TUE for administration of testosterone. Jose Canseco has openly stated that he had a prescription from his health care provider to administer testosterone as a part of testosterone replacement therapy. He wrote about this condition in a documentary in 2008. He noticed that he stopped utilizing illegal steroids and was experiencing hypogonadism that was provoked by steroids. Then his physician prescribed him administering a testosterone gel in order to be relieved from side effects of steroids. It is clear that Jose Canseco’s administration of steroids is justified because he has medical need for usage. But since he hasn’t obtained a TUE, it is unclear whether he would play in the team that has steroid testing. The CEO of “Tigres de Quintana” admitted that he had known that Canseco was on TRT but he invited him to play, just with a TUE.