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Posted by Mike Florio on November 16, 2014, 6:42 PM EST
Amid allegations that NFL team physicians and athletic training staffs have improperly provided potent pain medications to players, the federal government apparently is taking action. Finally.
According to ESPN.com, the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted surprise inspections on Sunday. The DEA looked at medical and athletic training staffs of visiting NFL teams, exploring whether federal drug laws were violated. The goal was to determine whether they violated federal drug laws governing the handling and distribution of prescription painkillers.
John Barr of ESPN.com reports that the inspections arose from a federal lawsuit filed earlier this year, which claims that team physicians and athletic trainers illegally distributed painkillers to help players continue to play. Barr also reports that DEA agents intended to inspect the medical bags of visiting team doctors for prescription drugs while alongside Transportation Safety Administration screeners.
It makes sense for the DEA to explore this. What doesnt make sense is that the DEA waited so long to investigate what has been an open secret for years, if not decades.
Surely, the feds knew or should have known or at least should have suspected that something didnt add up when it comes to football players finding ways to play football while injured. Why did it take a civil lawsuit to light a fire under the authorities to explore something that, if anything, teams quite possibly would have stopped doing now that litigation is being pursued?
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...urprise-inspections-of-visiting-team-doctors/
Amid allegations that NFL team physicians and athletic training staffs have improperly provided potent pain medications to players, the federal government apparently is taking action. Finally.
According to ESPN.com, the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted surprise inspections on Sunday. The DEA looked at medical and athletic training staffs of visiting NFL teams, exploring whether federal drug laws were violated. The goal was to determine whether they violated federal drug laws governing the handling and distribution of prescription painkillers.
John Barr of ESPN.com reports that the inspections arose from a federal lawsuit filed earlier this year, which claims that team physicians and athletic trainers illegally distributed painkillers to help players continue to play. Barr also reports that DEA agents intended to inspect the medical bags of visiting team doctors for prescription drugs while alongside Transportation Safety Administration screeners.
It makes sense for the DEA to explore this. What doesnt make sense is that the DEA waited so long to investigate what has been an open secret for years, if not decades.
Surely, the feds knew or should have known or at least should have suspected that something didnt add up when it comes to football players finding ways to play football while injured. Why did it take a civil lawsuit to light a fire under the authorities to explore something that, if anything, teams quite possibly would have stopped doing now that litigation is being pursued?
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...urprise-inspections-of-visiting-team-doctors/
