Sports N Health

Decision of the National Football League (NFL) to test for human growth hormone has been applauded by anti-doping crusaders.

It is believed that the NFL’s decision will put pressure on other North American professional leagues to step up their drug-testing efforts.

From Reuters.com:

While the NFL provided few details about their testing procedures, the decision to start testing was regarded as a major breakthrough given that North American sports have traditionally been reluctant to embrace doping tests and impose punishments.

Last year, Major League Baseball (MLB) implemented random blood testing for HGH in the minor leagues, but has yet to introduce it at the major league level.

Tougher drug-testing was also on the agenda in the ongoing talks between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and their players association over a new collective bargaining agreement while the National Hockey League (NHL) has had meetings with WADA about beefing up its testing, which will also be part of its next contract negotiations.

“The NFL collective agreement that allows for HGH testing of their players is a positive development in the fight against doping in sport,” WADA director general David Howman told Reuters.

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Human growth hormone or HGH can be classified as a somatrophin, a protein that includes 191 amino acids in all. In humans, it is found in abundance in the natural form and its secretion is at the highest point during the stage of adolescence.

This exceptional product not only allows improvements in the levels of metabolism, brain function, mental strength, physical strength, muscle growth, tissue repair, and bone strength but is also effective for helping the human body perform routine functions such as sexual and brain functions. It also promotes cell replacement and helps in normal functioning of different body organs.

In the world of stardom, HGH is used by celebrities to prevent the effects of aging and staying young for long. In the medical world, human growth hormone is used for treating HIV patients with cachexia or wasting apart from being used to improve the level of physical endurance.

It is important to note that the use of HGH must be initiated only after a qualified medical recommendation. This is because lack of right knowledge can lead to HGH abuse and health complications such as headache, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, insomnia, bronchitis, edema, and gynecomastia.

In short, human growth hormone is an exceptional muscle building product but only if used with due care and diligence.

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The remainder of defamation suit by Roger Clemens against Brian McNamee has been dismissed by U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison in Texas and may now head for a continuing legal battle in New York.

Clemens may find it difficult to refile the case as the dismissal was with prejudice, which means that the case cannot be heard again. But Clemens has expressed his intents to ask the he 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review Ellison’s decision.

From Timesunion.com:

McNamee claimed in the Mitchell Report that he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone at least 16 times in 1998, 2000 and 2001. Clemens responded the statements to Mitchell’s staff, which McNamee also repeated to Sports Illustrated’s Web site, were “untrue and defamatory.”

McNamee’s lawyers had moved that Clemens’ lawsuit be dismissed because their client was compelled to cooperate with Mitchell by federal investigators. Ellison agreed, but he initially left intact that part of the suit relating to McNamee’s statements to Andy Pettitte, Clemens’ former New York Yankees teammate. McNamee told Pettitte that Clemens had used HGH and steroids.

In his suit in Brooklyn, McNamee claimed Clemens launched an “intense and coordinated public relations offensive” against the trainer. Clemens went on “60 Minutes” and held a nationally televised news conference to refuse McNamee’s allegations.

Clemens and McNamee repeated their statements to a congressional committee, which then asked the Justice Department to launch a probe into whether the pitcher lied. A federal grand jury in Washington has been investigating Clemens.

This case has once again proved or at least acted as secondary evidence that steroids and sports are almost inseparable.

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