Aug 24 2011
NFLPA Won’t Give Up Easily on HGH Testing, Questioned WADA’s Methods
The Wednesday meeting in Montreal confirms our suspicion that the NFL players are not totally 100% supportive of the new anti-doping measure of the NFL. The league and the player’s association included HGH testing provision in the new CBA. However, specific details of the testing procedures still depend on the final agreement between the league and the union. If both parties failed to compromise on significant issues, the league has no other option but to use the old drug testing program.
League and Union Meets WADA’s Scientists
The union requested a meeting with WADA officials to provide them with documentation on the accuracy of the methods used on HGH tests. WADA handles HGH testing in the Olympics and claim that the test for human growth hormone has been improved since its first implementation.
Top league officials who attended the meeting were Commissioner Roger Goodell, Senior vice president of law and labor policy Adolpho Birch and chief legal counsel Jeff Pash. The NFL Player’s Union was represented by executive director DeMaurice Smith, NFLPA spokesman George Atallah and other union representatives. Also present in the meeting were outside counsel Maurice Suh and scientists from Aegis Lab Paul Scott, Tim Roberts and Dennis Crouch.
WADA director David Howman also attended the meeting together with HGH expert Dr. Gerry Baumann.
Presentation Did Not Answered Union’s Questions
The three-hour presentation of WADA’s scientists failed to convince representatives of the union. Instead, NFLPA spokesman George Atallah told the media that they were disappointed with the lack of transparency of the current methods in HGH testing. This means they are not satisfied with WADA’s procedures and the reliability of the blood test.
Even before the meeting takes place, people from the union already expressed their reluctance on the inclusion of HGH tests. An insider told the AP that they will only agree to the test if they are satisfied with the testing procedures and reliability of the testing methods.
On the other hand, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said that the meeting was informative. “From our perspective, WADA’s presentation was very thorough. We still think we can have testing in place by the beginning of the season,” McCarthy said.
The league’s lead counsel Jeff Pash also told the AP that WADA was able to show very sound science and very thoughtful testing protocols. WADA will handle the HGH testing program of the league if the union will finally agree on the procedures.
Player’s Union Has Another Agenda
For Howman, the negative feedback of the NFLPA has something to do with the ongoing HGH negotiations and not with WADA’s presentation. “I thought our scientists were very responsible in providing information and answering questions,” he told the media. “We’re not part of the negotiations so it is hard for me to understand this environment,” Howman added.
USADA CEO Travis Tygart told the Williamson Daily News about his take on the issue. “You have to question their motives why, especially in light of the recent positive in baseball, that they’re retreating from wanting to put this in place,” said Tygart.
“There doesn’t seem to be any legitimate reason for all these questions when, over seven-plus years, top scientists in world in almost every testing agency have been using this test for deterrence and detection,” said Tygart who is also in the forefront against PED’s use in professional sports.
[...] the meeting with WADA’s officials and scientist, the NFLPA told the media that they were not satisfied with the information presented to them. Top officials [...]
[...] of testing for human growth hormone asking for more scientific data to prove that the HGH test used by the World Anti-Doping Agency is reliable. It was also announced earlier by the union that population study should be made to [...]
[...] If the players and sports association care about the integrity of competition and the rights of clean athletes, undergoing on a blood test would not be much of an issue. It should be regarded as a better way to eliminate those athletes who do not play the game fair. Then again, professional leagues in US are still reluctant to accept the HGH testing methods. [...]