Report: NHL to begin random drug testing Sunday

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SportsTicker

TORONTO -- After a delay, drug testing in the NHL will begin Sunday. According to a report in the Toronto-based Globe and Mail, the NHL will begin its random testing for banned substances Sunday. Testing had been delayed because the league and NHLPA wanted players and team medical personnel to attend a tutorial on substance abuse. "I know I've been constantly watching what I put into my body," Oilers defenseman Chris Pronger told the Globe and Mail. "I think this process has us on edge because it's not an exact science." According to the report, players will be tested randomly, up to twice a season, for prohibited substances such as anabolic steroids and growth hormones but not stimulants such as ephedrine, which is found in some cold medications. The punishment for a first positive test is a 20-game suspension. A second offense carries a 60-game suspension and a third results in a permanent suspension. When a player tests positive, he will be notified by the league and have the right of an appeal. If the appeal is denied, or a player does not appeal, the league and the NHLPA will make a joint announcement.

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Good thing Grant Fuhr has retired.