Roundtable Essay

Over the last few decades the National Football League (NFL) has become inundated
with players who occasionally use or rely on performance enhancing drugs. This influx directly
relates to the expansion of the NFL List of Prohibited Substances. Society may deem these
amendments by the league officials as obvious and necessary given the fact the lists essential
function is to prevent players from gaining an unfair advantage over one another or cheating.
The mere words performance enhancing drugs are often tied to words like cheater, deceitful,
and immoral. Here in lies the problem, players in the NFL have with this list of banned
substances. Some of these substances are not created for one to seek an advantage on the
playing field but rather to aid him in recovery off of it. Players face condemnation for using
prescribed medications like Adderall or Ritalin and over the counter medicines like Sudafed.
Aware that these remedies are legally available to the public at any time, is it fair for the NFLs
senior officials to deny them to its own majority, the players?
Although, the NFL commissioner along with his team of rule makers and enforcers are
perceived by the players as a villainous persona, they sincerely have the best intentions in mind
while conducting business. The reason that a list of banned substances exists is to protect the
players themselves from physical harm, as well as maintain a fair sporting environment. It may
be difficult to convince the NFL players that this notion is true, as several seemingly unfair
suspensions and dismissals surrounding banned substances occur regularly. The most
thoughtful opinion may be that of the medical sector who could argue that either side is not
sufficiently informed on the advantages and consequences of each substance included on list.

The National Football Leagues directors interest in the List of Prohibited Substances is
in player safety, first and foremost. The decisions of which substances are banned are entirely
made by the NFLs league directors with Roger Goodells voice being the ultimate decider. Due
to his position as the NFL commissioner, he is seen as the figurehead of the group who creates
and enforces the list of banned substances. When he approved of the suspensions of over a
dozen players for using prescribed Adderall or Ritalin, its hard to rationalize his initial
intentions in enforcing the list (Bradley).
The NFL league officials aim to level the playing field as much as possible and this
includes the banning of Methylphenidate, Pseudoephedrine, and Synephrine. All are restricted
for use by the NFL players and all are available elements to the public for various ailments
and/or conditions. Methylphenidate is commonly known as a Ritalin and is known to be safe to
ingest by children and adults in efforts to treat Attention Deficit Disorder (Cherrill).
Pseudoephedrine is recognized under the brand name Sudafed and its common use as a cold
and flu remedy has long been generally accepted. Synephrine is better identified as Bitter
Orange, an herbal supplement with a variety of health benefits.
The players of the National Football League have the standpoint that the public is most
sympathetic to. Due to the players being subjected to the rules and policies, their collective
opinion should require more attention. A handful of players who enter the NFL with
prescriptions for conditions such as Attention Deficit Disorder feel that it is unjust for the
league to require them to discontinue those medications, solely because the brand names
Adderall and Ritalin are considered performance enhancing drugs. Other players see their

suspensions as undeserved because their reasons for using a substance are unrelated to
football, such as the case with Colts player Robert Mathis.
The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) is a group consisting of both current and retired
football players whose goal is to protect their own rights against the league officials, as well as
seek compromise over issues regarding the banned substance list. They have recently come to
terms with league officials allowing current players with diagnosed ADHD to apply for a
therapeutic use exemption that permits them to take Adderall (Cohen). Although, this is a
favorable step in the right direction for the players, many feel there is a long road ahead before
conditions can be classified as fair.
The medical sectors point of view regarding the list of banned substances may be the
most crucial in terms of distinguishing the composition and effects of the substances
themselves. This group can give a definitive answer on the physiological advantages or
disadvantages of the performance enhancing drugs in question. Players like Reshad Jones, who
received a four game suspension for using a workout supplement he was unaware was on the
list, is utilizing these researchers to prove these supplements provide no advantage during
gameplay (Abramson). The medical group mainly exists as a reference for information about
substances on the list.
In closing, the three groups have presented their standpoints on the topic of the
National Football League List of Prohibited Substances. Two of these groups, the league
directors and the league players, have come to compromise regarding some of the substances
on the list. Adderall is now potentially available to players suffering from Attention Deficit

Disorders. The medical sector is actively researching and exploring the just placement of
substances on the list. These events prove that through the progression of time, the NFL can
become the fair sporting environment it was always meant to be.

Works Cited

Abramson, Andrew. "Jones Fails Drug Test, Suspended 4 Games; Dolphins Safety Says Supplement to
Blame for Positive PED Result." Palm Beach Post 9 Aug. 2014. Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 28 Oct.
2014.
Bradley, Bill. Report: Adderall Remains Drug of Choice for Many NFL Players. NFL.com. 13 Sept. 2013.
Web. 28 Oct. 2014
Cherrill, Hicks. "Taking Ritalin Gave Me My Life Back." Daily Telegraph (London) 19 Aug. 2013. Web. 28
Oct. 2014.
Cohen, Rachel. "Adderall Controversy Dark Cloud for the NFL." Toronto Star (Canada) 29 Nov. 2012.
Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 6 Nov. 2014.