Well, that was fast.
With the NFL and the NFLPA in agreement to conduct HGH testing but at impasse on how to do it, two members of Congress clunked their heads together and worked it out.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello has posted on Twitter that Representatives Darrell Issa (R-Cal.) and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) announced the development today, after meeting with principals from both sides.
The entity most in need of the clunking was the NFLPA, which had been resisting HGH testing due to concerns that the World Anti-Doping Agency protocol was based on HGH naturally occurring in athletes far different than football players. NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith did not attend the meeting; he told Congress that he is traveling abroad. (We’re told that he is in China on Players Inc. business.)
The testing will begin as early as next week.
Aiello isn’t just a reporter; he’s also a photographer. The image accompanying this story of Issa (left) and Cummings announcing the deal was posted by Aiello, who hopefully won’t be asking us for any fee for using it.