The NFL's drug testing policy is imperfect. Rather, that's what Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon wants to convince the NFL of in his upcoming hearing with the league. Gordon will be appealing his forthcoming year-long suspension from football. The suspension, which was first reported in May, will be officially decided on after Gordon's appeal. Gordon, who is required to pass up to 10 drug tests a month as part of his punishment for testing positive for codeine last season, is regarded as a Stage III player in the league. This designation means that those 10 drug tests are a career-long sentence, meaning that for the rest of his pro career, Gordon would be subjected to these stringent measures month-in and month-out. Mind you, this guy is 23 years old.
Prior to his failed test, Gordon had passed at least 70 drug tests, and the one that got him was a marginal failure, at best.
Here's how the testing works:
- Players are given a "A" sample and a "B" sample for a single urine test. The "A" sample is measured to detect a certain concentration of a drug within the player's urine. The "B" sample is used to verify that the concentration within the "A" was detectable.
- The concentration limit for any sample is 15 nanograms of a substance per milliliter of urine. Gordon's "A" sample tested at 16 ng/ml. The "B" sample tested at 13.6 ng/ml, or below the legal limit. However, the "B" sample is not allowed to invalidate the results of the "A" sample. Any presence of an illegal substance within the "B" sample can be used to verify the "A" sample.
Gordon's "A" sample and his "B" sample have a clear discrepancy between them: one charges Gordon with a year-long suspension, and the other doesn't. This, of course, is why Gordon is appealing the suspension. If, by chance, the "A" and the "B" sample had been switched, Gordon wouldn't be dealing with a suspension at all. He'd be in training camp catching footballs for Johnny Manziel. Instead, he's fighting for his career.
Of course, at the end of the day, Gordon failed a test, and he knew the consequences of such a negative result. However, the league has to recognize the shortcomings of their own testing policies with the particulars of Gordon's case. Hopefully, his suspension will be rightfully reduced.
UPDATE:
ESPN reports that Gordon will cite "second-hand smoke" as the reason for his positive result in his appeal. According to league policy, this method of inhalation is not a punishable offense. His legal team has assembled witnesses who will testify in support of Gordon's claims.
[via Pro Football Talk]
