Steroids, fraud, cheating - these are some of the things athletes are willing to take and commit all for the lure of riches.

Major League Baseball is just one of the organizations plagued by steroid controversies. In 2007, ever since the Mitchell Report came into public, the league has been shaken and its athletes’ integrities have been greatly questioned.

Many of the league’s prospects come from within not only the US but also most from the Dominican Republic. This country is as just crazy about baseball as the US. However, in this country, performance-enhancing drugs can be easily obtained anywhere like aspirin.

With more money at stake, signing prospects on million dollar contracts, it is not a wonder if steroids are not the only thing prevalent.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and MLB are actually investigating on three major factors. Aside from steroids use, where more than half of the minor league players who tested positive were from the Dominican Republic, authorities have been looking into document fraud and kickbacks.

Prospects get so desperate to join the league that they often pass themselves as younger, using fake birth certificates in the process. Furthermore, many employees from MLB teams were found to skim money from contract bonuses intended for Latin players.

Actually, these problems are not unique to the Dominican Republic. This is a baseball problem that needs to be resolved and fully addressed.

From the LA Times:

The lure of riches in U.S. leads to widespread cheating, including steroid use, fraud and kickbacks. MLB, deeply entwined in nation, is investigating; some team officials have been implicated.