LONDON (AP) — The World Anti-Doping Agency has defended its test for human growth hormone and accused the NFL players union of being “extremist” for questioning its validity.
WADA director general David Howman tells The Associated Press the test for HGH was endorsed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in its ruling Tuesday in the case of an Estonian cross-country skier.
The court lifted the three-year suspension imposed by the International Ski Federation on two-time Olympic cross-country champion Andrus Veerpalu for use of HGH, citing “procedural flaws.” But CAS said it believed Veerpalu did take HGH and backed the testing method.
Howman says “there is no question as to the validity of the test.”
The NFL players union said the CAS ruling “validates the players’ demands for scientific validity, full due process rights, and a transparent system.”
Howman says “I would expect the players association to take a stance which is extremist which is the way they’ve operated the last few years.”
