Even when he’s not trying to cause trouble, Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco still finds a way to cause trouble.
Over the weekend, Michael S. Schmidt of the New York Times (not to be confused with Michael Jack Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies) reported that a note photographed by Chad and posted onto his Twitter page “exposed a glaring hole” in the league’s steroids testing program. (MDS addressed the issue on Sunday.)
The problems, as identified by Schmidt, arise from the notice that the note provides to players. It allegedly dispenses with the “element of surprise,” giving players time to dilute their urine, employ a masking agent, or attach a device (hello, Whizzinator!) to produce clean urine.
“I cannot believe at this day and time, and after all the attention that drug testing has received, that they are doing this,” Dr. Gary Wadler of the World Anti-Doping Agency told Schmidt. “I just don’t believe it -- it jeopardizes everything drug testing stands for.”
Without specifically addressing the Times article, the NFL posted at its labor-centric web site on Monday an item titled “The facts on NFL steroid testing.” In it, the league sets forth certain realities of the steroids testing program.
As to the notion that players are not monitored after notified of a positive test, the league had this to say: “Most players provide their specimens immediately upon notification. For those who cannot produce a specimen immediately, the collectors remain on site, are aware of the team’s meeting and practice schedule and can monitor the players’ movements. Players who do not provide timely specimens are considered to have missed the test and are referred for disciplinary review.”
Also, the samples are tested for evidence of dilution and the presence of masking agents, addressing two of the other criticisms -- and making constant monitoring of the players less important.
Finally, as to the possible use of Onterrio Smith’s favorite party favor, players are now observed while providing the sample, naked from their knees to the tops of their heads.
Again, this relates only to the random testing related to the steroids policy. For the substance-abuse program, players are subject to unannounced preseason testing, and then they are not tested again -- unless they are in the “program.”
