NFL might alter drug policy

Diuretics and stimulants such as Adderall might no longer be considered by the NFL as performance enhancing in some cases under terms of a drug policy proposal from the league to its players union.

Adolpho Birch, the NFL’s senior vice president of labor policy and government affairs, told USA TODAY Sports on Monday of more than a dozen issues that he says the league has given ground on in hopes of reaching a deal for human growth hormone ( HGH) testing this season.

Some stimulants and diuretics would be reclassified as substances of abuse. That would eliminate player discipline in many cases since first vi- olations of the recreational drug policy are met with counseling and treatment, not suspensions.

“What we would do is reflect the understanding those types of substances have both a performance- enhancing component but also a recreational component,” Birch said.

“It would provide for a different treatment, depending on what we were able to understand about the use. A positive test in the offseason might be treated differently than a positive test during the season.”

Since the start of 2012, at least 14 players have blamed suspensions on drugs commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. What players test positive for is kept private, so how often ADHD medications are being used is unclear.

Despite the NFL’s concession, a comprehensive drug policy agree- ment remains hung up on Commissioner Roger Goodell’s role in hearing appeals for HGH violations.

The NFL Players Association, which won the battle for appeals of positive HGH tests to go to third- party arbitrators, also wants to take appeals of discipline not triggered by positive tests — such as an HGH- related arrest — out of Goodell’s hands.

The NFL has been steadfast in wanting the commissioner to retain that power. Birch said he remembers probably one case in which the appeals issue even came into play in Goodell’s seven seasons on the job.

But the NFLPA’s 32 team representatives have twice voted unanimously to reject any proposal that keeps that authority for Goodell, and union leaders can’t make a unilateral decision on any issue without the board’s approval.