Mandatory HGH testing on NFL’s agenda
The NFL wants to expand its drug testing program and policies to include human growth hormone.
NFL vice president and general counsel Adolpho Birch told FOX Sports that the league wants that to be part of whenver the labor dispute is settled and a new collective bargaining agreement is negotiated with the players' union.
Birch supervises the drug testing program.
"We want it," Birch said. "We think it's necessary. We're going to ensure that it's done. That's something very important to us and the integrity of our game. We believe some of the basis for going slowly on it before has been addressed. At this point, it's proper for it to be an active part of our program."
The NFLPA's take on the issue, per the report, is that testing for HGH would need to be a part of any settlement talks. The decertied union has filed an antitrust class action lawsuit against the NFL.The late NFLPA union chief Gene Upshaw was opposed to HGH testing, which is done by blood reliably, not through urine samples.
"Until a test is developed for HGH, there’s really not an awful lot to talk about," Upshaw said. "When that test is developed, we really believe it should be a urine test. No one is interested in a blood test. We've got a lot of big tough guys, but even they don’t like to be pricked on the finger to give blood.”
The NBA and NHL don't test for HGH, but Major League Baseball does in the minor leagues and the Olympics have for the past seven years. ARTICLE SOURCE YAHOO SPORTS
NFL vice president and general counsel Adolpho Birch told FOX Sports that the league wants that to be part of whenver the labor dispute is settled and a new collective bargaining agreement is negotiated with the players' union.
Birch supervises the drug testing program.
"We want it," Birch said. "We think it's necessary. We're going to ensure that it's done. That's something very important to us and the integrity of our game. We believe some of the basis for going slowly on it before has been addressed. At this point, it's proper for it to be an active part of our program."
The NFLPA's take on the issue, per the report, is that testing for HGH would need to be a part of any settlement talks. The decertied union has filed an antitrust class action lawsuit against the NFL.The late NFLPA union chief Gene Upshaw was opposed to HGH testing, which is done by blood reliably, not through urine samples.
"Until a test is developed for HGH, there’s really not an awful lot to talk about," Upshaw said. "When that test is developed, we really believe it should be a urine test. No one is interested in a blood test. We've got a lot of big tough guys, but even they don’t like to be pricked on the finger to give blood.”
The NBA and NHL don't test for HGH, but Major League Baseball does in the minor leagues and the Olympics have for the past seven years. ARTICLE SOURCE YAHOO SPORTS
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