The NFL steroid scandal has pinned Green Bay player James Harrison and three others for using the banned substance. All four linebackers deny the Al-Jazeera doping allegations reported late last year.
Aside from Harrison, Green Bay Packers' Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers, as well as their former teammate Mike Neal, received written communication on August 15 from the National Football League. The four football players have been given until August 25 to answer the doping allegations, according to CBC Sports.
The four linebackers replied through the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA). Harrison and his companions maintained that they are innocent of the drug charges. They demand that the NFL show some solid evidence that prove they are indeed using performance enhancing drugs.
Harrison, Matthews, Peppers and Neal first received their notice from the NFL early this year. The doping allegation was based on a report featured in Al-Jazeera. A man named Charlie Sly claimed that a number of personalities including the four NFL players were using illegal steroids. The accuser, however, withdrew his earlier statements.
That did not dissuade NFL Vice President Adolpho Birch from giving Harrison and company an ultimatum. The NFL official said that the four will be suspended from the games unless they agree to an interview. The linebackers have more than a week to comply.
The doping charges have turned into a battle of wills between the NFL and the accused linebackers. In contrast, Peyton Manning complied with the NFL request for an interview. His investigation was closed last July according to the NFL. Manning was also implicated in the NFL steroid scandal.
Meanwhile, the players have issued statements regarding their alleged use of illegal performance enhancing drugs. Harrison said that the charges are "flimsy", according to ESPN. Matthews said that the NFL doping allegations are "bogus". Peppers claimed that the drug claims are "nonsense".
