NEW YORK -- Saying the NFL Players Association is "holding HGH testing hostage" after more than two years of squabbling with the league, the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee warned Thursday that Congress could get involved.
In a statement emailed by his office to The Associated Press, Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland said the union "continues to disregard its promise to implement HGH testing."
He added: "Continuing to block HGH testing in this way essentially will force Congress to intervene, which nobody wants."
The oversight committee held a hearing in December to take a look at the science behind blood tests for human growth hormone. HGH is a banned performance-enhancing drug that is hard to detect and has been linked to health problems such as diabetes, cardiac dysfunction and arthritis.
Two full NFL seasons have passed -- and another is about to begin -- without a final agreement on HGH since the August 2011 labor deal paved the way for testing.
In his statement, Cummings pointed to "extraordinary concessions from the NFL, numerous meetings with Members of Congress, and a parade of experts verifying the validity of HGH testing" and said: "After two years of negotiations, the NFLPA is now holding HGH testing hostage because of matters wholly unrelated to testing."
The league says the main sticking point right now is whether Commissioner Roger Goodell -- or someone he designates -- will continue to hear appeals for violations other than a positive test. The NFL wants to keep that part of the drug policy in place, while the union would prefer a panel of arbitrators to hear appeals that involve breaking a law or the demonstrated use of a performance-enhancer without a positive test.
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press
