Congressmen rip NBA sterioid policy

Bill in works to impose strict testing on four major sports leagues

WASHINGTON - The NBA's steroids policy was branded "pathetic" and "a joke" by lawmakers Thursday, and the head of a congressional panel said he will propose a law creating drug-testing standards for the four major professional sports leagues.

House Government Reform Committee chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., opened a hearing focusing on the NBA by saying he'll produce a uniform testing bill next week. Davis promised the legislation he's drafting with ranking Democrat Henry Waxman of California and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., "will have more teeth than other bills introduced."

Davis didn't go into specifics but said the bill would cover baseball, the NBA, NFL and NHL. Waxman said their legislation would follow the Olympic model and would call for a two-year ban for a first offense and a lifetime ban for a second offense.

Those mirror the penalties in the Drug Free Sports Act, introduced last month by Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., chairman of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee conducting a separate inquiry into steroid use.

Testifying before that panel Thursday, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said Sterns' bill "is not appropriate to be enacted in its present form. ...At least as it applies to the NFL, we feel that it is unnecessary."

In a nearby hearing room, Davis' committee was directing the sort of criticism at NBA commissioner Davis Stern and union leader Billy Hunter that it heaped on baeball officials March 17.

Washington Wizards guard Juan Dixon and Houston Rockets trainer Keith Jones also testified, and both said they didn't know of any steroid use in the NBA.

Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo., called the NBA's policy "a joke." Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., said: "It is, in my opinion, rather pathetic."

Stern and Hunter said the issue will be addressed in negotiation to replace their collective bargaining agreement, which expires June 30. The league broke off talks Wednesday, and Stern painted a bleak picture Thursday.

"I'm not confident, because we're confounded as to how we can make a deal at this point," he said after testifying.









dna paternity test
how to pass a drug test
"how to pass a drug test"
how pass drug test passing tests
http://www.ezdetox.com/
http://www.1stopdetox.com/
http://www.thcfree.com/
http://www.detoxdoctor.com/
pass drug test blog
pass a drug test
http://levitra-cialis-viagra.blogspot.com/
ways to pass a drug test
passing drug test
http://pass-a-drug-test.blogspot.com/2005/09/suspected-drug-lab-blast-injures-three.html
http://how-to-pass-a-drug-test.blogspot.com/2005/08/prince-george-ponders-injection-centre.html
http://how-to-pass-a-drug-test.blogspot.com/2005/04/pass-drug-test.html
http://how-to-pass-a-drug-test.blogspot.com/2006/01/statistics-show-marijuana-most-common.html
http://passing-drug-test.blogspot.com/2005/03/business-good-for-cleanup-specialist.html
http://how-to-pass-a-drug-test.blogspot.com/2005/08/meth-problem-is-back-in-full-swing.html