Steroids Blog

According to a top league official last Thursday, NFL may give up control over its steroid testing program to an outside agency if it could not run the program effectively in cooperation with the player’s union.

This move would actually signify a great shift on their policy since the league has been running its own testing program for over two decades.

This decision came after the court rulings freeze the suspension of the two Minnesota Viking players. According to the court, a state court’s decision is needed regarding two issues related to Minnesota workplace laws.

The league viewed this move as something that could cause fragmentation of their steroid testing program. Wide-ranging laws could never serve anyone’s interest.

According to Jeff Pash, the league’s counsel and executive vice president of labor, if the program could not be administered by the league in cooperation with the player’s union, then it would be best to transfer its control to an outside agency such as the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA).

He also mentioned that control of the steroid testing program could be placed under the control of a federal agency.

One thing they do not want to do is to stop the program, which has served everyone well.

According to The Washington Post:

The NFL might consider giving control of its steroid-testing program to an outside agency if it determines that it cannot continue to run the program effectively in cooperation with the players’ union, a top league official said Thursday. Such a move would represent a significant shift in policy for a league that has administered its testing policy in conjunction with the union for two decades.

The new WADA’s code is facing a criticism as it still failed to follow the European data protection laws. The code came into force in the beginning of this year and was formed after consultation with athletes and European regulators, according to WADA officials’ previous declarations. They insisted that the code would be a proportionate response to the rising threat of drugs use in sports.

According to the code, athletes, who are registered under national testing book, must make themselves available to testers for one hour a day, between 0600 and 2300, and in three months advance. It is to be done online through Anti-Doping Administration & Management System (Adams) website and can be updated by email or text message.

The first criticism of the code came from the world of tennis and football. The Professional Players’ Association, an umbrella group of professional player associations in the UK, also alleged that WADA’s “out-of-competition testing” rule was a “fiasco”.

However, the allegation was rejected by the agency, but its new testing procedures were labelled as as”draconian” by Andy Murray, the ruiling BritishTennis player.

The BBC has obtained a copy of a report by the Article 29 of working party for the European Commission, which states that numerous issues remain problematic. The report also questions whether it is necessary that so many athletes are to be bounded by the code. In addition, it consists of the “whereabouts system”, where athletes could disclose where they are for one hour of every single day.

From BBC:

The World Anti-Doping Agency’s new code is set for renewed criticism, with new claims it may still contravene European data protection laws.

The BBC has obtained a copy of a report by the Article 29 working party for the European Commission, which says that numerous issues remain problematic.

It also questions whether so many athletes need to be bound by the code.

It includes the “whereabouts system”, where athletes reveal where they are for one hour of every single day.

Under the rules, any athlete on the national testing register must make themselves available to testers for one hour a day, between 0600 and 2300, three months in advance.

However, the working party report, which is set to be published next week, could raise doubts about information gathering and its secure transferring processes. The report would also suggest that the policy of naming drugs cheaters and publishing their doping details online is unneecessary.

Whatever the upcoming report will suggest, but it seems that football’s place in the upcoming Olympics is under threat after FIFA and its European counterpart, UEFA, said that they would not comply with the code because they wanted to respect players’ privacy.

Johan Bruyneel, team manager and longtime friend of Lance Armstrong, defends the legendary cyclist against the recent anti-doping control allegations charged on him by French media. Bruyneel on Monday strongly opposed the report that states that the cyclist deliberately delayed a representative of the French anti-doping agency (AFLD) during an out-of-competition test on March 17 this year.

The manager stated that no effort was made by the player to thwart the anti-doping control. Bruyneel further said that both, he and Armstrong encountered with the AFLD tester, who was waiting outside the cyclist’s home in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, while returning from a training session for Milan-San Remo one-day race. He stated, “Lance took a shower and put on shorts and a T-shirt, and then he gave the samples, which took about an hour and a half.”

Though, unsourced reports on several French Web sites and Radio Monte Carlo commented that Armstrong made the tester sent by the AFLD waiting for at least 30 minutes behind a closed door before giving samples. The French daily sports newspaper L’Equipe reported that the AFLD had filed a report about the incident and would also forwarded it to the UCI and WADA.

From ESPN:

Lance Armstrong’s team manager and longtime friend Johan Bruyneel on Monday strongly disputed a report that the cyclist deliberately stalled a representative of the French anti-doping agency (AFLD) during an out-of-competition test on March 17.

Armstrong was training in southern France at the time in preparation for the Milan-San Remo one-day race. Unsourced reports on several French Web sites and Radio Monte Carlo stated that Armstrong kept the doctor sent by the AFLD waiting for 30 minutes behind a closed door before giving samples. The French daily sports newspaper L’Equipe reported that the AFLD had filed a report about the incident and forwarded it to the UCI, cycling’s international governing body, and WADA.

AFLD head Pierre Bordry would not confirm any details about the report. “I am not making any judgment on what is in the report, because I’m not certain that it’s an infraction,” Bordry told ESPN.com.

Bordry said he was still awaiting a formal response from the UCI, but federation spokesman Enrico Carpani told ESPN.com that the UCI has no jurisdiction over this kind of issue. “The rules are very clear,” Carpani said. “Any out-of-competition control made by a national anti-doping agency has to be managed by them.”

However, Pierre Bordry, the AFLD head, denied the confirmation of any details about the report. Bordry said, “I am not making any judgment on what is in the report, because I’m not certain that it’s an infraction.” He also said that he was waiting for a formal response from the UCI.

But, Enrico Carpani, federation spokesman said that in such type of issues, the UCI has no authority to make judgement. He further added that if any out-of-competition control was made by a national anti-doping agency then it would be managed by their own.

As per thr rule, the AFLD has full authority to test athletes, covered by the WADA code, who are in France for any reason. The March training period was the cyclist’s first visit to the country as an active athlete since his comeback from three-year retirement. Armstrong has also been tested several times by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

Earlier also this seven-time Tour de France winner had defended himself against doping allegations throughout his career. He told his online fans that it was his 24th anti-doping control test since his comeback after a three-year retirement. “Yet another ’surprise’ anti-doping control,’” he wrote. “This one from the French authorities. Urine, blood and hair! Classic, “he said. Armstrong further added that he was clear and was not complaining about these tests.