Nov 28, 2005 3
Dick Pound Says 1/3 of NHL is Doping
Dick Pound is on a rampage again, but not about cycling. He is hitting out at the NHL where he caims that 1/3 of the entire NHL is doping. This remark was made after Pund met with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman who made is clear to Pound that player taking performance enhancing drugs was not an issue in the NHL.
Calgary Flames Defenseman Andrew Ference says what basically the entire cycling world has said about Pounds blanket observations:
“You’d think somebody in that position, if they’re going to make such a strong statement, that they’d have examples or inside information or tests or whatnot,”
The NHL doesn’t have a doping problem because there is no testing. The provisions of a doping policy state:
NHL players are subject to a minimum of two drug tests a year without warning. A first-time offender would receive a 20-game suspension, a repeat offender would be suspended for 60 games and a permanent ban would follow a third offence.
This type of punishment is a joke when compared to the instant 2 year ban from all cycling competition and the additional 2 year ban from racing in the ProTour. If Roberto Heras dealt with NHL type rules, he would be back without missing the spring classics. But that is why Cycling gets a bad rap on doping while leagues such as Major League Baseball and the NHL get by as “clean”.
NHL players reject Pound’s suggestion one-third use performance enhancers – Yahoo! News
like