NFL: Rash of Positive Tests Under Steroid Policy

by JOSINA ANDERSON

New Orleans Saints Deuce McAllister stretches out during a training session in Chandler's Cross, England, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008. San Diego Chargers will face the New Orleans Saints in an NFL football game at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday Oct. 26. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)

DENVER - There has been a “rash of positive tests under the steroid policy as a result of players taking water pills to lose weight," a highly-placed NFL source said.

The source told FOX 31’s Josina Anderson Friday morning that New Orleans Saints’ running back Deuce McAllister, and defensive end Will Smith were included in the web of positive tests.

“There are about six to ten overall positive tests. Three to four of them are from the Saints organization alone including McAllister and Smith.

There were no Denver Broncos players that were a part of this group as far as the source knew.

McAllister and Smith are in a group of players that have tested positive specifically for a diuretic known as Bumetanide. Some of the players in the group of six to ten tested positive for a different substance.

"Most of them tested positive for Bumetanide," said the league source. "The last few tested positive for another substance that works similarly.”

Experts at the Mayo Clinic describe Bumetanide as a drug belonging to a group of medicines called loop diuretics or “water pills.” Its uses include the treatment of fluid retention and swelling caused by medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, liver disease, and kidney disease.

However, the source told Anderson that Bumetanide has another use which makes it one of the NFL’s banned substances.

“[Bumetanide] can also mask the use of other drugs or steroids.”

Dr. Norman Smith, the lead physician at an internal medical practice in Maryland confirmed this assertion to Fox 31 Sports.

“Bumetanide makes you excrete a lot of salt and water. It dilutes the urine and makes it very difficult to test for illegal substances. There are some patients who use or abuse it where weight is critical,” Dr. Smith said.

Weight loss is the main reason the highly-placed league source identifies as to why this group of NFL players tested positive for this drug. “It seems to be clear that most of these players were doing it to cut weight.”

When the source was asked how they’re more confident these players used Bumetanide as a weight loss agent as opposed to a masking agent, the source replied, “I know that a few of these players have had weight issues.”

The source also suggested some of the players may not have known Bumetanide is on the NFL’s list of banned substances.

“I don’t think many of them are attempting to cheat, or even know it is on the list. We are talking big guys who have likely never seen a steroid in their life. My understanding of the steroid policy is that it was intended to catch cheaters or people using performance enhancing substances to gain a competitive edge. These guys don’t fall into that category,” said the source.

Regardless, all of the players in this group of positive tests, including McAllister and Smith, are subject to a suspension pending an appeal to the league. Under the NFL’s steroid policy, a player’s first positive test results in a four-game suspension.

Smith’s listed agent, Joel Segal, was not immediately available to comment. A representative for McAllister’s agent, Jim Steiner, said the agent would call back.

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