Davis Happy with NFL Steroid Program Upgrades

January 24, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., ranking member of the Oversight and Government Committee praised the upgrades to the National Football League's steroids testing program that were announced today.

"These changes show what sports leagues and their players' associations can accomplish when they set their minds to eradicating steroids from their sports," said Davis, who, as chairman of the Government Reform Committee in the last Congress, led three hearings on steroid use among pro athletes. "I especially want to commend the NFL which -- out of all the sports leagues -- has been the most consistent in its approach to testing and taking other steps to end steroid use among its athletes."

The NFL and the NFLPA agreed to a series of improvements to its steroids policy. The league now will test 10 players per team through the preseason, regular season and postseason -- up from seven previously. It will increase the number of off-season tests from a maximum of two per player to six per player.

Davis was especially pleased with a $1.2 million grant -- funded by the NFL and NFLPA -- to be used to launch prevention programs for 20,000 high school athletes and 800 coaches at 40 high schools in the 2007-2008 school year. Four teams from each conference will sponsor five local high schools each to create the 40 "NFL schools" around the nation. Athletes and coaches from all sports in those schools will participate.

"I urged the leagues to involve their athletes -- who are heroes to many young Americans -- in their substance-abuse prevention programs," Davis said. "It is important that they see athletes who have succeeded in reaching sports' highest rungs explaining that there are no short cuts to success."