It's being reported that Texans OT Duane Brown, our number 1 pick from the 2008 draft, is suspended for 4 games for violation of the NFL's policy on performance enhancing substances.
It is believed at this point that Brown was using a supplement that contained a banned substance, although at this point neither the supplement in question nor the banned substance have been disclosed by Brown or the team. Brown will miss his start this Sunday against Dallas and and will be eligible to return on October 18 after the Texans face the Kansas City Chiefs.
You can read the full ESPN article here.
You can read the text of the statements from both Brown and the Texans here.
This is the 2nd suspension the team has face this year as LB Brian Cushing is currently serving a suspension for testing positive for HCG. This is not just 2 players, but 2 starting players that many consider critical to the success of the team. For a team that is now trying to assert itself as a contender (and recently proclaimed the 5th most valuable NFL Franchise by Forbes Magazine), this is certainly a black mark on an organization that many said was the standard of class in the NFL.
The consensus concerning Brian Cushing is pretty much that he knowingly ingested the banned substances, but based on the statements concerning Brown, the case is not so clear cut. It is very possible that Brown ingested a fully legal over-the-counter supplement that contained a substance banned by the NFL. Individual players are responsible for what they ingest. But there are a host of factors that come into play here.
One of the complications concerning the case with the Williams Brothers in Minnesota is the fact that they tested positive for banned substances, but prior to that were not made aware the substance was banned by the NFL. While the league may make the players responsible for what goes into the body, it is certainly the responsibility of the NFL to make the players aware of what is and what is not legal. The State of Minnesota went to bat for Pat and Kevin Williams in this regard, which is why they have yet to serve their suspensions.
Was the substance listed on the label of the supplement as is required by law? This is important as Brown may have done his best due diligence and still not knowingly ingested a banned substance.
Of course, there are larger questions to be answered when it comes to banned performance enhancing substances. I don't know the extent of regulation on the supplement industry, but perhaps it is time for the FDA to at least take a look at some of what goes into these supplements. Does the NFL have any working relationship with some of the supplement producers in order to help players more easily identify what may or may not get a player into trouble? A simple warning on a supplement may help make it easier on players who often have to wade through literally hundreds of product labels in order to make sure they are in compliance with league policy.
I welcome any and all comments regarding this bit of news concerning the Texans or even the league PED policy in general. Please keep it civil and also watch the foul language.
No comments:
Post a Comment