Lane Johnson has filed a formal complaint against the NFL and NFL Players Association with the National Labor Relations Board over his 10-game PED suspension.
ESPN reports that Johnson filed a complaint under the “Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act,” claiming the suspension violates federal law.
“During Lane’s appeal, it became apparent that the written words in the collectively bargained Performance-Enhancing Substances (“PES”) Policy, under which Lane was disciplined, are meaningless.”
“The PES Policy, as written, guarantees rights, protections and due process to players in recognition of the enormous consequences of discipline,” the statement continues.
“The NFL and the NFLPA have undermined these protections, leaving the players — including Lane — with a hollowed-out process devoid of any protections. The actions of the NFL and NFLPA violate federal law.
The Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle previously blamed his positive drug test on an amino acid he purchased online. Johnson claims the supplements were tainted and that he checked with the NFLPA guidelines to ensure the supplement’s contents were safe for use.
Back in August, Johnson complained about the league’s lack of transparency involving positive tests, claiming the NFL didn’t do enough for its players.
They don’t check the supplements. They give us an app. Then if you call and ask them if you test positive for something they approve, it doesn’t matter.”
Johnson’s claims that the NFL needs to look out for players in a better way is probably true. But ultimately, the league isn’t responsible for what players put into their body. Vetting every supplement taken would be a waste of time and resources. Players should know what they are taking and assume all the risks by doing so.
Johnson should have made sure his supplements came from a reputable seller. Buying amino acids online and wondering why they were tainted sounds more like an excuse than a reasonable explanation, and it seems doubtful this complaint will gain much steam.
[ESPN]
