Aside from saying that the use of human growth hormone (HGH) would be a point of negotiation in hammering out a new collective bargaining agreement between the NFL’s owners and players--but the idea that the NFL could require blood tests for its players in order to eliminate or limit the use of HGH is reportedly becoming a popular one.
And, it’s almost certain, will provide yet another marked point of contention between the two sides--not a good thing, if your a fan of the idea of a 2011 NFL season.
From a Fox Sports report today, via Yahoo! Sports:
As first reported by FOXSports.com, the NFL is insisting upon HGH testing as part of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with its players. The NFLPA hasn't taken a definitive stance on HGH testing other than saying it was subject to negotiation as part of a new CBA.
This isn’t such a black-and-white issue as it seems--that is, it’s not so simple as busting HGH users, by using blood tests. As MJD points out on Yahoo! Sports, it really comes down to a trust issue between players and owners.
Could the NFL be trusted to use the blood samples only to the end of sniffing out players guilty of using HGH? Or would they take liberties with the samples, which of course are capable of telling a lot more than whether a player is doping--and considering the current state of relations between players and owners, it’s doubtful that players are sold on the idea that teams would use blood samples as an anti-doping tool and nothing more.
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