It's been a long road to get to this point, but NFL general counsel Jeff Pash expressed some optimism that the league will have an HGH testing program in place and will begin testing in time for the 2012 season. The league and the NFL Players Association, which have been at odds over HGH testing for much of the past year, have an agreement to conduct a population study that could lead to the beginning of testing, Newsday reported Friday. "We have agreed, whether we think it's necessary or not, to do a population study, and we've identified some people who can do that study who are clearly independent of the NFL and NFLPA and have no ax to grind one way or another," Pash said Friday at an Associated Press Sports Editors meeting in New York, adding the study would be conducted by an independent laboratory. "If we can put the mechanism for that study in place, we can get to the point where we can have HGH testing." In the accord that ended the lockout last July, the NFL and the union tentatively agreed to implement testing for human growth hormone. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said as recently as last November that he was "disappointed" with the slow movement by the players union in agreeing to a testing format. Source: NFL.com
When drug testing was first introduced in the NFL I believe in the early 1980's, there was only a small percentage who were tested positive which included no notable players. I would not be at all shocked if the same happened if HGH testing was to be introduced imminently. All about protecting their investment.
well, i hope you're right because i don't want positives to be in the news every day. that would get old really fast.
I think it's a cultural thing. America from an outside perspective appears to have very little conscience when it comes to performance enhancing substance usage, both from fans and the organisations alike. Fans seem to not be that bothered if stars are caught using (note I say fans, not media) and the leagues generally have substandard testing policies and hand out pathetic suspensions that serve more as a PR stunt than an actual legitimate punishment. It's one of very few things I am proud about British sports, drug cheats are treated with social outrage and disgust and are heavily punished. Personally, I would prefer hearing every day about players ranging from practice squad to superstars being busted, than covering up it or not catching anyone at all.
eh, i used to feel that way andy but i don't sweat it anymore. i'm pretty much resigned to the fact that most of them do it and just because some are better at hiding it than others doesn't mean it's going to stop. so, i just accept it because, in the end, this IS just entertainment. nothing to take too seriously and i definitely don't want to hear about a positive test/suspensions every day.
