NFL Players Adopt Plan That Includes Banishment

HONOLULU —  The NFL Players Assn. adopted a new drug-abuse prevention program Wednesday that includes banishment from the league for repeat offenders.

The program, which was unanimously approved by the NFLPA’s Executive Committee last month, calls for random urinalysis of players who test positive for illegal drugs in preseason physicals, rehabilitation and penalties for repeat offenders. The harshest penalty would be banishment from the league for life.

The comprehensive program now goes to the NFL Management Council. If approved, it will be implemented before training camps open in July.

Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFLPA, said: “What the players are saying is that we’re willing to take a step forward so why doesn’t management take a step forward.”

Under the program, all players would be required to undergo urinalysis as part of the preseason physicals. If the team physician has “reasonable cause” to believe a player has a chemical abuse problem, the player must submit to a second test.

Also, a player who tests positive in either the preseason physical or a “reasonable cause” test would be required to be treated by an independent medical facility and submit to random testing supervised by the treatment facility.

If the player being treated fails a random test, he will be fined an amount equal to a one-game paycheck.

Permanent suspension will occur is the player fails another random test.