[News] Shawn Horcoff suspended 20 games: PEDs

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Darren Haynes ‏@DarrenWHaynes
20 games for Shawn Horcoff and a forfeiture of $357,526 for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.

$357k is not nothing. Quite the fine actually.

[Demetric]

good on him for taking ownership of his mistake, much respect

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by habernac

What else could he do, really? Deniers don't get any sympathy.

Yeah, it's the textbook response to pissing hot these days. Maybe it's true, maybe it's not... but it's far easier to plead guilty on account of ignorance then to cop to cheating.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Hesla

A Genuine apology.. wow.

Not sure about that...the part where he states he was "unaware" that what he was doing was wrong, sounds like BS. If you're injecting hormones into your body, you should probably start putting a little more research into whether those are banned substances.

[polak]

Originally Posted by FeyWest

This is what I don't understand, why would you not have checked in the first place it's not like you're doing much injured and all it takes is a phone call asking about X treatment. Ignorance is just irresponsible....

Willful ignorance.

[Stud_McCool]

Yo! That one goal he scored against the Flames shouldn't have counted!

[socalwingfan]

I guess I'm an cynical old #######, but if this was a high school student - I could buy this excuse. I find it hard to believe a professional athlete is given a substance to help them heal "faster" and they don't question it's validity at all. No professional athlete ever cheats to improve performance, it's always a misunderstanding.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

Anyone knows how the NHL PED testing protocol actually works? Is each player tested on some kind of a regular basis (daily? weekly? before each game?) or is it random team-based testing etc.? Also, who administers the tests - teams themselves or the league-appointed personnel?

This has a pretty good summary:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/kings/...929-story.html

•Every player who has participated in an orientation session is subject to testing as follows: each club will be subject to team-wide no-notice testing once during training camp; each club will be selected at random for team-wide no-notice testing once during the regular season; individual players will be randomly selected for no-notice testing during the regular season and playoffs; tests are not conducted on game days.

[lazypucker]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

$357k is not nothing. Quite the fine actually.

Let's say if you can get an extra 1-year contract for say 1 mil from the help of PED maybe the gamble is worth it. There are like 700 players in the NHL and how many are getting tested and caught? 1 or 2 per season maybe at most? I will say the rewards are definitely worth the risks....

[getbak]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

Anyone knows how the NHL PED testing protocol actually works? Is each player tested on some kind of a regular basis (daily? weekly? before each game?) or is it random team-based testing etc.? Also, who administers the tests - teams themselves or the league-appointed personnel?

From the CBA...

47.6 Testing Procedures.

(a) Training Camp/Regular Season/Playoffs. Every Player who has participated in an orientation session pursuant to Section 47.5 will be subject to testing as follows:

(i) Each Club will be subject to team-wide no-notice testing once during Training Camp (commencing with the start of the 2013-14 League Year);

(ii) Each Club will be selected at random for team-wide no-notice testing once during the Regular Season; and

(iii) Individual Players will be randomly selected for no-notice testing during the Regular Season and Playoffs.

(iv) All tests in subsections (i)-(iii) will be conducted at work on the day of a scheduled practice or meeting but not on game days.

(b) Off-Season. Each Player who has participated in an orientation session pursuant to Section 47.5 will be subject to testing during the off-season as follows:

(i) A League-wide maximum of sixty (60) tests may be conducted each offseason.

(ii) Individual Players will be randomly selected for no-notice testing.

(iii) Each Player will be required to submit to his Club at the conclusion of his playing season at his exit physical, a completed off-season contact form, attached as Exhibit 39, containing address (permanent and temporary), cell phone and e-mail contact information for the Player and his Certified Agent, and information regarding any anticipated changes in his contact information. The Player shall contact a Program Doctor if any of the information provided changes for any reason. The contact form will be provided by the Club to the Program Doctors.

(iv) A Player who is selected for off-season testing will be contacted via the phone number and e-mail address listed on the contact form and informed as to the place, date and time of testing. If a Player is unreachable (directly, or through his Certified Agent or the NHLPA) for two weeks without good cause, Player shall be referred to the Program Committee to determine next steps, including potential discipline where deemed appropriate.

(c) Reasonable Cause Testing.

(i) In the event that either the League or the NHLPA has information that gives it reasonable cause to believe that a Player has, in the previous 12-month period, engaged in the use of a Prohibited Substance, the party having such information shall provide the other party with a written description of its information ("Reasonable Cause Notification"), and the Player will be subject to a specimen collection, or a program of testing, as determined by the Program Doctors, to commence 48 hours after the Reasonable Cause Notification was provided.

(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a party receiving Reasonable Cause Notification disputes the existence of reasonable cause, that party shall have the right to commence a proceeding before the Impartial Arbitrator (or other neutral arbitrator jointly appointed by the parties) within 48 hours after receipt of the Reasonable Cause Notification, and such arbitrator will determine whether reasonable cause exists to subject the Player to testing. No reasonable cause testing of the Player will occur until the completion of the proceeding before such arbitrator. If the arbitrator determines that no reasonable cause exists, then the Reasonable Cause Notification and any subsequent dispute/determination shall remain confidential and shall not be disclosed to the Player, his Club or otherwise. The proceeding before the arbitrator may be conducted by conference call at the request of either party, and shall be completed within 48 hours from the time the arbitrator was notified of the existence of the dispute. The arbitrator shall issue his/her decision within 24 hours of the completion of the proceeding, and if he/she finds that reasonable cause exists, the testing shall commence within 48 hours of his/her decision.

(iii) Upon final determination by the arbitrator that reasonable cause exists, or upon receipt of the Reasonable Cause Notification if such notification is not disputed, the Program Doctors shall communicate with the Player concerning a test to be administered under the provisions of Section 47.6(c). The NHL and NHLPA Program Committee representatives may participate in the call.

(d) Deemed Positive Test.

(i) A Player's unexcused failure (e.g., without good cause) or refusal to test shall be considered a positive test result. Attempting to substitute, dilute, mask or adulterate a specimen shall be considered a positive test.

(ii) The determination of whether a Player has tested positive under Section 47.6(d)(i) shall be made by the Program Doctors, subject to appeal (initiated by filing a Grievance) to the Impartial Arbitrator within 48 hours of the notification of the Program Doctors' determination.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

...

Thanks sureLoss.

This is like speeding then. You get caught, you pay the ticket and accumulate demerits. Not a very difficult-to-make choice for fringe players and players struggling with injuries. To take PED, keep playing and keep earning salary or not to take PED and get kicked out right away. The random and infrequent testing protocol reduces the risk of getting caught dramatically. The odds are not in favour of compliance here.

[polak]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Let's say if you can get an extra 1-year contract for say 1 mil from the help of PED maybe the gamble is worth it. There are like 700 players in the NHL and how many are getting tested and caught? 1 or 2 per season maybe at most? I will say the rewards are definitely worth the risks....

Especially if he's being honest and only took them to heal faster from his injury. Really, it's a no brainer to take them to heal from injury if you're in the twilight of your career like Horcoff. Could be the difference between another contract in the NHL or early retirement.

Don't blame him at all.

[bc-chris]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

Anyone knows how the NHL PED testing protocol actually works? Is each player tested on some kind of a regular basis (daily? weekly? before each game?) or is it random team-based testing etc.? Also, who administers the tests - teams themselves or the league-appointed personnel?

what sureLoss said

a couple summers ago i asked luke schenn about the testing and he said you show up at the rink and one of the trainers hands you 'the little cup' - you're not given a 'heads up'

i'm assuming they send the sample somewhere for testing and the results would be sent to the team and league

[albertGQ]

If it meant the difference between playing in the NHL or retiring because no one would offer me a contract, I would take PEDs for sure.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by blankall

Not sure about that...the part where he states he was "unaware" that what he was doing was wrong, sounds like BS. If you're injecting hormones into your body, you should probably start putting a little more research into whether those are banned substances.

Originally Posted by socalwingfan

I guess I'm an cynical old #######, but if this was a high school student - I could buy this excuse. I find it hard to believe a professional athlete is given a substance to help them heal "faster" and they don't question it's validity at all. No professional athlete ever cheats to improve performance, it's always a misunderstanding.

Exactly. I think it was a discussion about A-Rod in baseball, where he was denying he knew what he was taking. This is a guy who won't eat a Snicker's bar and he's going to take some substance he knows zero about? No chance that happens. I think Horcoff took a calculated risk.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by bc-chris

what sureLoss said

a couple summers ago i asked luke schenn about the testing and he said you show up at the rink and one of the trainers hands you 'the little cup' - you're not given a 'heads up'

i'm assuming they send the sample somewhere for testing and the results would be sent to the team and league

The issue IMO is more the off season policy. A good article on their drug testing in the NHL:

http://www.latimes.com/sports/kings/...929-story.html

Off season testing doesn't occur until the orientation camp. You could easily sneak in a cycle between the end of the season and the orientation camp. Steroids aren't taken throughout the year. A high level body builder would probably do 2 cycles a year. For an athlete a cycle every off season would be a lot.

There's a reason why athletes are coming into camp in supreme shape. People talk about dedication to "off season training" in recent yeas. It's as though actually playing in the NHL during the season won't get you in shape itself.

[polak]

Hey man, you can't drink on almost all PED's.

No drinking on your 4 month vacation from work? These guys deserve a medal.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Scornfire

Holy hell, that's probably a bigger fine than every illegal hit/headshot fine the league has handed out put together. Just wow

Except, not. Raffi Torres alone lost $441k on his last suspension.

[Locke]

Meh, he was half-assing it, I never recover from any injuries without my shaman and sheep-fetus healing procedures.

Totally safe, totally NHL compliant and I've never had a problem.

Remember folks, your pain and injury cannot dissipate without balance, so someone, somewhere has to absorb your pain and injury. Why not sheep?

[pseudoreality]

I don't buy the he didn't know what he was taking was against the rules BS. That's like saying he was unaware of the offside rule.