SENATE GRILLS NFL ON ITS DRUG POLICY

League Denies Exemptions Exist

The NFL has told staff investigators for an Iowa senator what they have
been saying publicly for the last 2 1/2 months--there was no attempt to
allow 16 players who failed drug tests in 1995 to slip through the cracks
of the league's drug program and go unpunished.

The league met with three members of Sen. Charles Grassley's (R-Iowa) staff
last week in Washington, responding to an inquiry being conducted
concerning the league's substance abuse program.

Grassley is the chairman of the Senate's caucus on International Narcotics
Control.

The inquiry was initiated after a New York Times story in August implied
the league had allowed the 16 players to go unpunished at a time when the
NFL and its players' union had agreed on a new drug policy during the
collective bargaining process toward a new contract.

The league since has said that all 16 players eventually were slotted into
the new drug program, and that six of the 16 were later suspended for
violating the program.

All 16 were monitored closely after the new program went into effect at the
beginning of the 1996 season.

A source familiar with the caucus's inquiry said at this point there does
not seem to be any reason to indicate NFL officials have not been
forthcoming with investigators looking into the matter, but that it is
premature to draw any conclusions.

"The best thing to say at this point is that the caucus still has some
questions it wants answered," the source said.

"The position of the league and the union is that there was never any
informal wink and nod policy that excused valuable players from the drug
policy. They say that is not the case.

The caucus "is not at the position to say it can challenge the NFL
position. They [investigators] want to be satisfied they've been thorough
enough to answer any questions. They still want to talk to more people.

"But I don't think they have a villain here, and they're not trying to find
a villain."

The NFL Players Association has declined public comment on the Times story,
but one union source said yesterday "there simply is no story here. These
guys [the 16] all went into the new program.

"It was part of the collective bargaining process, and no one was trying to
give anyone a free ride."

The source also indicated that investigators from Grassley's office have
not yet attempted to interview anyone in the NFLPA, but that if asked, the
union would "fully cooperate with whatever they request."

Grassley and union executive director Gene Upshaw were not available to
comment Wednesday.

Jill Kozeny, a spokesman for Grassley's senate office, said the drug caucus
was "looking into whether there is an informal practice that excuses some
NFL players from the league's anti-drug policy.

"The inquiry began a couple of months ago, and no conclusion has been reached.

"It's a matter of making sure we don't turn our back on allegations."