Commissioner Goodell Wants HGH Testing
In what has been an ongoing disagreement between NFL owners and the Union, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently explained why he and the owners want blood tests for Human Growth Hormone (HGH).
“It's very important. It's about the integrity of the game. It's about player health and safety," Goodell said. "It's about making sure that we're doing everything to protect our players and to protect the integrity of our game."
Goodell has been making visits to various teams’ training camps around the league, riding along with retired NFL coach and broadcaster John Madden on the Madden cruiser.
"We think it's important to have HGH testing, to make sure we ensure that we can take performance-enhancing substances out of the game. Unfortunately, the only way to test for that, on any reliable basis right now, is through blood testing," Goodell said.
“And if your objective is to take it out of the game," he added, "that's the only way to do it. ... That's why we proposed it."
The NFL does not test for HGH despite it being banned, and the league has suspended several players due to proof that they had been using the hormones.
The league wants to implement blood testing in order to test for performance enhancing drugs but the NFL Players Association is against that form of testing, saying it is not reliable enough. They have stated that they want to eliminate performance enhancing drugs from the game, but they want the league to test through urine samples. The league has explored research for such a test and has not found a solution so they are pushing for the blood test while studies continue. The union replied to Goodell’s comments via e-mail.
“The NFLPA along with the NFL has supported research to find a suitable test that will detect sustained HGH use...We believe in and collectively bargained for a system that supports the testing of all banned substances. We look forward to discussing the NFL's proposed blood testing program in CBA meetings."
Major League Baseball started implementing tests for HGH. Last month they even started testing in the minors and have found 50 players who had been using it.
The drug is hard to detect and is believed to give athletes several advantages including improved vision and more speed, besides adding strength.
Both sides of the NFL agree there should be a test implemented for the drug; the only thing they’ve disagreed on is the means of testing.
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