A Minnesota Vikings tackle has been suspended for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, the NFL announced today according to USA Today Sports.
Vikings tackle DeMarcus Love will miss four games for his use of a banned substance. Love’s agent, Thomas Sims, said his client took the substance by mistake. According to the agent, it was in a product Love bought at a nutrition store.
"DeMarcus Love inadvertently took a banned substance that was in a product he purchased at GNC," sims told USA TODAY Sports through an email.“DeMarcus takes full responsibility. It was (an) honest (and) unintentional mistake. DeMarcus deeply regrets this unfortunately situation. He looks forward to resuming his playing career with the Vikings organization and contributing to the 2013 football season."
Love won’t be able to rejoin the team until Sep 30. He won’t be able to play in a game until Oct. 13 since the Vikings have a Bye during Week 5.
After being picked in the sixth round during the 2011 NFL Draft, he sat out all of his first season. He missed all of 2012 on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle.
The NFL Player’s association recently said they would engage in testing for P.E.D.s—specifically HGH (human growth hormones)—in NFL players. The union sent an email out to all players explaining that a blood sample would be required during training camp. It doesn’t appear that positive tests would produce suspensions. However, the tests would be used to gage the “normal” amount of HGH in a player’s body.
The NFL and NFLPA still have to hash out an agreement before testing is allowed.
Major League Baseball continues to face its own issue with P.E.D.s. Suspensions are expected to be handed down in the very near future in connection to the Biogenesis scandal.
