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Steroid Policy Changes Make Testing More Precise
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| Strength and conditioning coach Rock Gullickson spots DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila during the 2006 offseason workout program. |
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by Mike Spofford, Packers.com
posted 02/12/2007
The modifications to the NFL steroids policy the league announced last month are simply going to make it harder for any player to escape detection of any illegal substances, no matter how small the amounts, according to Packers strength and conditioning coach Rock Gullickson.
"They're getting more precise," Gullickson said. "They're able to test for even lower doses of testosterone than they have before, so some guys who have been getting under the wire may be caught this time around. They're getting closer to making sure nobody is adding anything to their natural levels of testosterone."
The additional precision is coming by way of carbon isotope ratio (CIR) testing, which can detect the lower doses. All specimens are now subject to random selection for CIR testing, whereas previously CIR testing was used only to confirm positive tests.
Other changes to the policy include increasing the number of players from each team randomly tested each week from seven to 10, adding erythropoietin (EPO) to the banned substance list, making the year-round testing schedule less predictable, and enhancing the financial penalties by making players forfeit a pro-rated portion of their signing bonus for any suspensions resulting from a violation of the policy.
"My experience is the players here are so leery and so aware of it," Gullickson said. "They know they have to be careful. It's such a financial setback to possibly be suspended for any matter of time.
"I just don't think guys now are trying to go out and 'beat the test.' I just don't think that happens."
The league is also providing at least $500,000 in grants to the UCLA Olympic testing laboratory for the development of new testing methods for human growth hormone (HGH).
"It is important that the NFL and its players continue to be leaders on the issue of illegal and dangerous performance enhancing drugs in sports," Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a news release issued by the league. "These latest improvements will help ensure that we continue to have a strong and effective program. As we have done in the past, we will review and modify the policy on an ongoing basis."
Any revisions made now or in the future are simply going to make the players pay even more attention to any workout or nutrition supplements they are taking. The awareness is high now, said Gullickson, and even though he feels players aren't out to beat the system, there's always the possibility of making a mistake as the already small margin for error continues to shrink.
"Guys just have to be aware whenever they go to a health food store to make sure they aren't picking something up that's going to make them test positive," Gullickson said. "The onus is on the players to be very, very careful." |
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