cowboyjoe
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NFL: Reports of positive drug tests are 'self-serving' rumors
The NFL issued a stern statement dismissing reports of positive drug tests at the league's combine in February after several prospective draft picks were alleged to have tested positive in multiple stories last week.
The website NFLDraftBible.com reported on Thursday that USC LBs Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews had tested positive for steroids and that Boston College DT B.J. Raji, Illinois CB Vontae Davis and Florida WR Percy Harvin had tested positive for marijuana. SI.com also reported on Thursday that Raji had a positive drug test at the combine.
On Friday, the league cautioned that such reports should be scrutinized because the drug tests administered at the combine are confidential and that not even team officials are informed of the results:
"Neither the 32 clubs nor the league office know the results of drug or steroid tests taken at the 2009 combine. The independent medical advisors who administer the tests have notified in writing those players and only those players who tested positive at the combine.
"Unfortunately, rumors about draft eligible players, including rumors about test results, begin to circulate every year at this time. Many of these rumors are circulated for self-serving reasons and they are terribly unfair to the players and their families."
A string of denials and admonishments followed the NFLDraftBible.com stories, particularly in defense of the USC linebackers.
USC coach Pete Carroll called the report "absolutely false." He told the L.A. Times, "This is an [sic] major example of irresponsible reporting, and the site that published this report should be ashamed of themselves."
Cushing's agent, Tom Condon refuted the story and called it a "vicious and false rumor." Matthews' agent, Mark Humenik, called for NFLDraftBible.com to retract the report, which he called a "grossly irresponsible and unfair accusation." As of late Sunday, there had been no change in the reporting by NFLDraftBible.com
Davis' agent issed a similar denial. "Neither Vontae nor our office has received any notification of any positive test whether for marijuana or any other banned substance," the agent, Todd France, told the Rockford Register Star.
This period in the run-up to the NFL draft is known as the "lying season" as teams, players and agents jockey for positioning in the annual selection process. So news of players' stock rising and falling and teams supposedly leaning one way or another should be considered carefully.
Hat tip: PFT
The NFL issued a stern statement dismissing reports of positive drug tests at the league's combine in February after several prospective draft picks were alleged to have tested positive in multiple stories last week.
The website NFLDraftBible.com reported on Thursday that USC LBs Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews had tested positive for steroids and that Boston College DT B.J. Raji, Illinois CB Vontae Davis and Florida WR Percy Harvin had tested positive for marijuana. SI.com also reported on Thursday that Raji had a positive drug test at the combine.
On Friday, the league cautioned that such reports should be scrutinized because the drug tests administered at the combine are confidential and that not even team officials are informed of the results:
"Neither the 32 clubs nor the league office know the results of drug or steroid tests taken at the 2009 combine. The independent medical advisors who administer the tests have notified in writing those players and only those players who tested positive at the combine.
"Unfortunately, rumors about draft eligible players, including rumors about test results, begin to circulate every year at this time. Many of these rumors are circulated for self-serving reasons and they are terribly unfair to the players and their families."
A string of denials and admonishments followed the NFLDraftBible.com stories, particularly in defense of the USC linebackers.
USC coach Pete Carroll called the report "absolutely false." He told the L.A. Times, "This is an [sic] major example of irresponsible reporting, and the site that published this report should be ashamed of themselves."
Cushing's agent, Tom Condon refuted the story and called it a "vicious and false rumor." Matthews' agent, Mark Humenik, called for NFLDraftBible.com to retract the report, which he called a "grossly irresponsible and unfair accusation." As of late Sunday, there had been no change in the reporting by NFLDraftBible.com
Davis' agent issed a similar denial. "Neither Vontae nor our office has received any notification of any positive test whether for marijuana or any other banned substance," the agent, Todd France, told the Rockford Register Star.
This period in the run-up to the NFL draft is known as the "lying season" as teams, players and agents jockey for positioning in the annual selection process. So news of players' stock rising and falling and teams supposedly leaning one way or another should be considered carefully.
Hat tip: PFT
