You know with a last name of Pound, using the nickname for Richard isn't such a good idea. Where the fuck does he come off thinking 1/3 of the NHL is drugged up? Besides it is NONE of his business how the NHL and its players have worked their CBA.
Canadian Press
11/25/2005 5:25:50 PM
Dick Pound stirred up a hornet's nest when he said he suspected that as many as one-third of the NHL's 700 players might take some form of performance-enhancing substance.
"I think it's unfair," says Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla.
Pound, the Montreal lawyer who is president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, was interviewed after a speaking engagement at the University of Western Ontario's law school Thursday. He mentioned a recent conversation with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who told him the league doesn't have a problem with players using performance-enhancing substances.
"I told him he does," Pound told the London Free Press. "You wouldn't be far wrong if you said a third" are using such substances.
Pound also said he's unimpressed by the NHL's random testing program.
"The NHL has reached a deal with their players that looks as though they found an early copy of the baseball policy on the floor somewhere," Pound told the Free Press.
Pound stuck by his words Friday.
"There's a broad range of things that are out there," he told Rogers Sportnet. "There's EPO, there's steroids, there's human growth hormones, there's stimulants, there's all sort of things.
"And then to pretend that it doesn't happen in hockey is just absurd."
Iginla was asked about Pound's comments after his team's practice Friday.
"I think it's been a pretty clean record _ definitely not 33 per cent," he said. "I don't remember hearing that many failed tests.
"To make those accusations, as a player it feels a little unfair, but so be it. I think that testing is a good thing in hockey and in sports. That's a positive. As far as 33 per cent, accusing us of that, I don't think that is necessarily fair."
Vancouver Canucks defenceman Mattias Ohlund said he was surprised "a well-respected guy" like Pound would suggest as many as 33 per cent of NHLers are cheating.
"I've played for eight years and I haven't see anything around our team," said Ohlund. "I'm sure there will be some out of 700 who are taking something but to say that there's one-third is obviously ridiculous."
Flames defenceman Andrew Ference said he's heard no explanation as to where the figure of 33 per cent comes from.
"You'd think somebody in that position, if they're going to make such a strong statement, that they'd have examples or inside information or tests or whatnot," said Ference. "People involved in the sport who do have that information know the direct opposite of his comments.
"When there's no fact behind comments coming from a top man like that, the NHL should get their back up."
Both NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly and NHL Players' Association executive director Ted Saskin scoffed at Pound's comments.
"I like the strong stance against it because it should be strong," said Ference. "We take great pride in our sport, in the fairness of it and in the integrity of it.
"Comments from a man like that can damage that reputation if not taken a strong stance against them."
Flames forward Tony Amonte admitted steroids have been used by some players.
"Obviously, guys take supplements and whatnot," said Amonte. "There are definitely guys who have taken steroids and stuff in hockey, but I don't think it's going to help you on the ice.
"Size isn't a big advantage out on the ice, it's more speed. I guess time will tell."
Flames forward Steve Reinprecht called Pound's comments irresponsible without facts to back them up.
"I'm only on one team and I don't see it," said Reinprecht. "Guys drink coffee and there you go.
"Unless you have numbers in front of you, it's kind of irresponsible to open your mouth."
Edmonton Oilers veteran Ryan Smith was another player curious about where the one-third estimate came from.
"We don't have any troubles here," said Smith. "I don't know what goes on around the league, but I talked to a few players and by and large I think this is false information."
Everybody's entitled to an opinion, he added.
Oilers defenceman Steve Staios said "it just causes a stir when guys just kind of pick numbers out of the air and try to guess on how many guys are doing what."
"We've all been briefed on what testing's going to be like and I guess we'll find out," said Staios.
Without an explanation for where the one-third estimate came from, "It's hard to know where he's coming from."
It's frustrating to hear comments like the ones attributed to Pound, added teammate Shawn Horcoff.
"If you look around the league, the players know themselves that the number's not even close to what he's saying," said Horcoff. "Hopefully, when they start testing, they're going to show that it's a lot lower.
"Hopefully it's going to be zero" and when tests results start arriving it'll be seen that "it is a clean league."
San Jose Sharks defenceman Scott Hannan said he can't recall an NHL player being caught using performance-enhancing drugs.
"Am I naive in saying that nobody's ever used it or nobody is?" asked Hannan. "Probably, but as far as extensively, I think that's a baseless comment."
NHL players are subject to a minimum of two drug tests a year without warning. A first-time offender would receive a 20-game suspension, a repeat offender would be suspended for 60 games and a permanent ban would follow a third offence.
This is the policy that Pound suggested resembles a discarded baseball plan. Major League Baseball has since taken a tough stand in implementing a 50-game ban for a first offence, 100 for a second and an outright ban for a third.
A world-class amateur athlete can be banned for two years for a first offence.
Random tests are not in full swing yet in the NHL because of the newness of the CBA, but national hockey federations are beginning to advise players who'll go to Turin in February that they'll soon be tested to assure compliance with Olympic anti-doping rules.
