NFL Union Doesn't Want HGH Testing

NFL News - February 24th, 2010 - Written by John Ritter

The NFL Player's Union isn't impressed with the new blood test that reportedly detects human growth hormone.

Despite a history-making announcement that British rugby player Terry Newton tested positive for HGH, and admitted it's truth, members of the NFL Union said it won't sanction a similar blood test to identify users in it's league.

"At this point, there's no reason to believe that blood-testing for NFL players will or should be implemented," union assistant executive director George Atallah told the Washington Post. "We should instead focus on preserving the drug-testing policy that we have in place."

That may be an issue for the NFL powers. While Major League Baseball has already given the green light to test it's minor leaguers, the football league will undoubtedly come under fire if it doesn't follow suit soon. The current testing only scans the player's urine, and can't detect HGH.

"Our position is that HGH blood testing has advanced to the point where we are taking steps to incorporate it into our program," NFL senior vice president of public relations Greg Aiello told The Washington Post.

Newton, the only player to ever be outed by a positive test, recieved a two-year ban from rugby the United Kingdom Anti-Doping agency. He admitted to using the substance soon after the test, which dismissed any possibility that it was a faulty test. It had been believed prior that an effective test was not possible, and any scan that claimed results was unreliable.

"All of us who have helped develop a test wouldn't put it in place if it wasn't forensically sound and reliable," U.S. Anti-Doping Agency chief executive Travis Tygart told the New York Daily News. "Particularly in [Newton's] case, it's proof positive the test works."

To be fair, while the spotlight will be on it's implementation of the test, the football league clearly has more imminent issues to deal with. It's collective bargaining agreement runs out March 5th, and unless a new deal is struck, will be forced into an uncapped year in 2010. After that, there will likely be a work stoppage after the Super Bowl, meaning no more NFL Sportsbooks in 2011.

So while the test is important to adopt, having a reason to adopt it certainly takes precedent.