NFL strengthens drug policy

NFL players will be tested more often and face harsher financial penalties as result of changes made yesterday to the league's drug policy.

The league and its players union also announced the addition of erythropoietin (EPO) to its list of banned substances. EPO increases the number of red blood cells, giving users more stamina.

The changes were lauded by Patriots linebacker Don Davis, one of the team's player representatives.

"The NFL players wanted the steroids out of the league. That was our goal 10 years ago, and we're still going strong now," he said. "Guys don't want to feel they have to use that to compete. In an ongoing effort to continue to keep steroids out of the NFL, we have to continue to keep techniques up to date. As quickly as you make a test, someone out there is trying to beat it. In that sense, it's all good things to keep the league pure."

The number of players tested per team will increase from seven to 10 each week -- meaning there will be 12,000 tests each season, up from 10,000. The unpredictability of the year-round tests will be increased to address the perception of gaps in the testing periods.

Players will also forfeit part of their signing bonus if in violation of the policy. In addition, the league will make more use of carbon isotope ratio testing on a random basis.

"It is important that the NFL and its players continue to be leaders on the issue of illegal and dangerous performance-enhancing drugs in sports," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said. "These latest improvements will help ensure that we continue to have a strong and effective program. As we have done in the past, we will review and modify the policy on an ongoing basis."

The changes come after a season in which star players such as Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, the NFL's defensive player of the year, expressed frustration with those who violate the policy, such as Chargers outside linebacker and NFL sack leader Shawne Merriman. Taylor offered one solution to clean up the game: lifetime bans to those who use performance-enhancing drugs.

The league and players union didn't go to such extremes yesterday. Another proposal that would have made those who violate the policy ineligible for postseason honors such as the Pro Bowl also wasn't adopted.

As for how the NFL's policy compares with those adopted by other leagues, no other North American sports league tests for EPO. The NFL suspends players four games for a failed steroids test. A second offense results in a year's suspension.

Baseball players are tested at least twice randomly per year. Players who test positive for steroids are banned 50 games for a first violation, while a player who tests positive for stimulants is required to undergo counseling for a first violation and is subject to six additional tests.

In the NBA, random tests are conducted four times per season. A first offense for steroids or performance-enhancing drugs results in a 10-game suspension, followed by a 25-game suspension for a second offense, a one-year suspension for a third offense, and a lifetime ban for a fourth offense.

In the NHL, all players are subject to two random tests per year. A failed first test yields a 20-game suspension, a second failed test results in a 60-game suspension.

As part of the NFL changes announced yesterday, which came after almost four months of negotiations, the league will make a minimum $500,000 grant to the UCLA Olympic testing laboratory for the development of testing methods for human growth hormone.

Representative Tom Davis of Virginia lauded yesterday's announcement.

"These changes show what sports leagues and their players associations can accomplish when they set their minds to eradicating steroids from their sports," said Davis, who, as chairman of the Government Reform Committee in the last Congress, led three hearings on steroid use among pro athletes. "I especially want to commend the NFL which, out of all the sports leagues, has been the most consistent in its approach to testing and taking other steps to end steroid use among its athletes."

Don Davis also believed the changes were a positive step.

"What they test and how they do it is irrelevant if you're not doing steroids," he said. "It's no problem if you know you're not doing it."

Goodell previously credited the league's players for initiating the changes.

"I'm very proud of the players taking the position they're taking," he told reporters before the Patriots-Chargers playoff game Jan. 14 in San Diego. "The players are indicating they don't want it in the game. I think it's a great step they want to make sure other players aren't taking anything that would give them an edge."

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report; Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com.