By MIKE SHERMAN
The Oklahoman

	STEROIDS: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

That was the big news from the APSE panel discussion entitled "Steroids: Where do we go from here?" And it was mentioned almost in passing by panelist, Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer.

The ban on androstenedione, the steroid-like substance Mark McGwire took when he hit 70 home runs in 1998, took effect this season. Baseball made no official announcement of the ban, which according to AP sports writer Ron Blum, took effect April 12, the same day The Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of andro.

The federal investigation of BALCO, a California laboratory that was raided and later charged with distributing a previously undetectible steroid to some of the world's top athletes, has been one of 2004's top stories.

Several baseball, football and track stars have been linked to the investigation. Barry Bonds' trainer was among four men indicted by a federal grand jury. All four have pleaded innocent. Bonds has denied using illegal steroids.

One day before the panel, the San Franciso Chronicle reported that sprinter Tim Montgomery told a federal grand jury that BALCO founder Victor Conte told him that Conte had supplied Bonds with performance enhancing drugs.

Former Steeler Steve Courson talks about steroid use in the NFL.

In response to a question, DuPuy said he would not speculate on whether baseball would put an asterisk next to Bonds' record of 73 home runs if it is later proved that Bonds used steriods.

DuPuy was joined on the panel by: former NFL player Steve Courson, who has admitted using steroids; Dr. Gary Wadler, a member of the medical research committee for the World Anti-Doping Agency; and Steve Holman, a retired track Olympian.

Courson estimated that 65 to 95 percent of the top linemen who played when he did used steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. He said he believes players then and now do so with the full knowledge of NFL general managers, coaches and trainers. Courson said the public was either ambivalent or in denial about the use of these drugs in sports.

Wadler cited a study that showed 2.5 percent of eighth-graders have used steriods. He repeatedly referred to the "grave new world," of drugs in sports, and said the question is what will be the next BALCO because there is going to be another one.

"This is a $19 billion industry," he said.

On the bright side, Wadler said the level of sophistication of questions he's received from reporters about performance-enhancing drugs has improved.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.