Despite the NFL’s statement that blood sample collection for Human Growth Hormone can begin next Monday, blood collection won’t begin just yet.
Adolpho Birch, the NFL’s senior vice president of law and labor policy, Tuesday sent a letter to the NFL Players Association stating that the league can begin drawing blood samples from players on Monday, Oct. 24. But the NFLPA responded with a letter of its own, informing the league office on Tuesday that its intent of drawing blood beginning Oct. 24 won’t happen.
The NFLPA released a statement Wednesday afternoon. The statement reads: “We informed the NFL yesterday that absent a collective agreement on several critical issues, blood collection is not ready to be implemented on Monday. We have advised the players.”
The union also sent a memo to all player representatives, informing them of its response to the league’s letter.
“We are disappointed in the union’s response,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the Associated Press. “It is contrary to the terms of the CBA and the agreements reached last Friday with the chairman and ranking member of the House Government Reform Committee.”
NFL Spokesman Greg Aiello added via Twitter: “We know of no reason why these initial steps should not begin next week, and none has been identified by the union.”
The NFLPA has taken a stance of being as thorough and comprehensive as possible as it relates to considering testing players for HGH. The union does not question the validity of using a test potentially administered by WADA; instead, it seeks a fair and safe way to measure the program. The NFLPA still has not seen the population data or validity studies about WADA’s isoform test for HGH that it has repeatedly requested.
NFLPA spokesman George Atallah said Wednesday that although the NFL has made clear its request to start blood sample collection this Monday, the union won’t authorize that to happen. Any method of testing players for HGH must be mutually agreed upon by the league and the union.
