NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell hopeful of HGH programme implementation – NFL News
The implementation of human growth hormone (HGH) testing system in the National Football League (NFL) hits snags as commissioner Roger Goodell admits that the league office and NFL Players Association (NFLPA) still have to sign a deal on the method of players’
testing.
Both offices had reached an agreement in July 2011 that the HGH testing would be made part of the collective bargaining agreement that was signed on the date, but since emergence of differences on the method of testing the implementation has been delayed.
Speaking to students and faculty in a question answer session at Harvard School of Public Health, the commissioner said:
"Unfortunately, we don't have that agreement. I just talked to De this week about it. I still believe it's something that's in the best interest of the players, from a health and safety standpoint, but it's also in the best interest of the game. We'll have,
hopefully, some meetings in the next couple weeks to address some of the remaining issues. I'm hopeful we'll get something done."
The only progress made on the issue is the agreement between the union and the league about a population study that has been recommended by the NFLPA, but it, too, fell apart when doctors commissioned for the study backed off from the deal.
It is not know when will the proposed study be done and the issue of delay persists as ever before, although Roger said he was not frustrated because of the delay in implementation of the programme, which he said is essential to players’ health and safety.
He said:
"Whenever you do something like this, you want to do it right. We should have this kind of test in place. So we're hopeful of getting it done."
The commissioner did not elaborate when he expected to facilitate implementation of the programme. The system once implemented is a comprehensive programme that is expected to make the league free of drugs abuse by the players.
It is pertinent to mention that last year world anti-doping agency also criticised the players’ union over allegedly adopting delaying tactics. The NFLPA has denied lack of will on their end to see the programme implemented at earliest possible.
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