Former MLB star Mark McGwire admitted he used steroids when he broke the home run record back in 1998 in a statement released on Monday (January 11).

“I wish I had never touched steroids.” McGwire said in a statement. “It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.”

“During the mid-’90s, I went on the DL seven times and missed 228 games over five years,” McGwire said in the statement. “I experienced a lot of injuries, including a ribcage strain, a torn left heel muscle, a stress fracture of the left heel, and a torn right heel muscle. It was definitely a miserable bunch of years, and I told myself that steroids could help me recover faster. I thought they would help me heal and prevent injuries, too.”

“Baseball is really different now — it’s been cleaned up,” McGwire said. “The commissioner and the players’ association implemented testing and they cracked down, and I’m glad they did.”

Mark decided to come clean now because he wants to become hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals. In fact, Mark confessed to have used steroids on and off for nearly a decade but a close source to the player also claimed he used a human growth hormone.