What is the NFL drug testing policy?

drug testing in the NFL has become a controversial talking point. While the NFL regards itself as having one of the toughest drug testing regulations in the North American sports industry, the Wall Street Journal reports that the NFL may be telegraphing their drug tests. After the Green Bay Packers’ playoff win against the Philadelphia Eagles, Pepper Burruss, the team’s head trainer, wove through the locker room carrying a piece of paper with a list of names. When he reached Scott Wells, the team’s starting center, he stopped. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Mr. Burruss said. Scott Wells turned to an intrigued journalist and informed them that the head trainer had been referring to a drug test. Giving an athlete notice about a forthcoming drug test seems to raise big questions about the effectiveness of these tests, according to anti-doping experts. This time difference may allow someone to take measures to “beat” the test, especially a professional athlete who will surely have plenty of resources and contacts to turn to should they need to manipulate the test. “If you’re going to do advanced warning, you might as well not test,” said David Howman, director general of the Montreal-based World Anti-Doping Agency, which oversees drug testing in all Olympic sports. “Half an hour is a lot of warning. That’s how quickly you can manipulate the tests.” Apparently it is an exception to give players this advanced warning and only occurs on game days, when the players have the day off the next day and the testers want to ensure the player knows to be available for testing. Nonetheless, say anti-doping experts, if players are given this warning they can take a performance enhancing drug the morning of the game and know that their system will be clean by the following morning. Do you think that this kind of advanced warning gives players time to take evasive measures? Or is the NFL’s justification an acceptable one?]]>