NBA working deal to test players for HGH

It is mind boggling to me to know that the NBA does not, in fact, test for HGH. In the era of history books now having blank spots due to drug users being ousted, the fact professional sports aren't testing for drugs is outrageous. Regardless, the NBA is now on its way to becoming one of the sports that tests its athletes for human growth hormones.

According to sources, the NBA and the National Basketball Player’s Association (NBPA) have come to the final stages of conversation for bringing HGH testing to the league for the 2013-2014 season. The problem that NBPA has repeatedly suggested is that blood testing can be unreliable or too invasive for the players. Currently, each player is pee-tested six times per year, with two of those times occurring in the off-season. The current talks have not specified the amount of blood testing that will occur, of if the blood will be tested for anything besides HGH.

The NBA has been facing harsh criticism from a number of sources over the lack of HGH testing. Along with the World Anti-Doping Agency, the NBA has also been under fire from the U.S. Congress. Representative Elijah Cummings has said that his hope is, “…that all our professional sports leagues implement HGH testing right away to set an example for millions of young athletes across the country who look up to them.” He also said the idea that the players union has concerns about the tests reliability is, “incredibly ridiculous.”

Before recently, none of the major American sports used blood testing to check for HGH. The first sport to actually make a major break was baseball, with the MLB recently announcing they will collect blood samples to check for HGH, among other substances. The NBA, if talks continue to go well, will be the next sport to follow in baseball’s footsteps.

Photo courtesy of HGH Supplement Advice