3 UM gridders test positive for steriod use

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Three members of the University of Maine football team have tested positive for using steroids by the NCAA and have been suspended from the Black Bear program.

First-year Maine head football coach Jack Cosgrove and UM Athletic Director Mike Ploszek confirmed the suspensions Monday. Both refused to identify the three players, citing right to privacy laws.

A source close to the university confirmed the three players are redshirt senior placekicker Jeff Mottola of Somers Point, N.J., redshirt freshman linebacker Gary Greaves of Miami, Fla., and redshirt freshman defensive tackle Howard Eddy of Melrose, Mass.

Greaves, reached at his home in Miami, refused comment when asked about the test results. Mottola could not be reached for comment and Eddy did not return a message left on his answering machine.

The three players were among 24 Maine football players tested randomly in Orono on Jan. 28 under the NCAA’s comprehensive drug-testing program, according to a release issued by the UM athletic department.

The test results came back the week of Feb. 15, at which point the three players who tested positive appealed the results. A second urine sample taken from each player at the time of the initial screening was then tested, with all three again registering positive. Results of the appeal tests were forwarded to Maine March 4.

Under NCAA regulations, the three players who tested positive and failed their appeals must be declared ineligible for competition for one year. The University of Maine augmented the penalty by withdrawing the athletic scholarships of all three players.

“I became aware of it within a week after I was hired,” said Cosgrove, who was hired as Maine’s 34th football coach on Feb. 21. “I’d known we’d been tested. The test results came back that week. The appeal process we were involved in came back at the end of last week.”

Ploszek said the substance identified by the NCAA test was “a steroid.” Use of all anabolic steroids by athletes outside a doctor’s care is against NCAA regulations. Steroids are a class of drug designed to promote muscle mass and tissue regeneration that may enhance performance. Possession of steroids without a doctor’s prescription is a Class E crime in Maine.

Ploszek said Maine football team members had been randomly tested three times in the last 12 months under the guidelines of the NCAA test program. Ploszek said all three of the players who tested positive in January had also been tested previously, with the results being negative.

“How stupid can you be?,” said Ploszek. “It’s really unfortunate, but everyone knows the risks. We harp on this constantly with the kids. Frankly, it makes no sense at all.”

Under the NCAA testing program, football players and track and field athletes are randomly tested. Athletes from other sports are only tested at NCAA championship events. According to the UM release, this is the first time Maine athletes have tested positive in the nearly three years the school has participated in the NCAA program.

Ploszek said he believes the problem of steroid abuse does not extend beyond the three players who tested positive.

“I really think this is an isolated situation. We’ve had this (testing) on an ongoing basis. I think we got three kids who made a stupid move,” Ploszek said.

Asked if the athletic department would consider paying for the rest of the team to be tested or ask the NCAA to come in and test the entire team, Ploszek said he had not thought of doing so.

“It’s a fair question. We could if we could afford it. It’s a costly process. I don’t know if they (the NCAA) would do that,” he said.

Asked if the three players would be allowed to rejoin the Maine football program after their one-year suspensions (provided they have eligibility remaining), Ploszek said it was unlikely.

“We would consider it at the time, but we’re under no obligation to reinstate them. We’d have to take a hard look.

“Under no circumstances would we award any financial aid to them,” Ploszek continued. “My sense is all three will end up transferring and go to other places. None of them played last year and they were not first-year players.”

According to Alan Reynolds, director of the University of Maine’s department of public safety, there is no investigation being conducted by his department into illegal drug use or possession by members of the football team.

“I am not aware of any such situation or investigation involving football players at this time,” Reynolds said Monday morning.

Testing procedure and what they’re looking for

The Test:

A student-athlete selects a numbered sample kit provided by the NCAA. The student-athlete initials the cap on a sealed sterile beaker in front of an NCAA witness. The student-athlete uncaps the beaker, urinates into the beaker in front of the NCAA witness, then pours the urine into two marked sample bottles, A and B, in front of the NCAA witness. The bottles are capped by the student-athlete and sealed in a plastic container along with a student-athlete’s signed signature form. The sealed kit is sent to the NCAA laboratory for testing. If the sample in one bottle (either A or B) tests positive for a banned substance, the sample from the other bottle is tested 24 hours later for corroboration. The student-athlete has the option of attending the testing of the second sample. Both bottles must test positive before a student-athlete is subject to sanction.

Substances banned by the NCAA

Anabolic Steroids: boldenone clostebol dehydrochlormethyltestosterone dromostanolone fluoxymesterone mesterolone methandienone methenolone methyltestosterone nandrolone norethandrolone oxandrolone oxymesterone stanozolol testosterone (higher than normal) Also banned:

Diuretics

Stimulants

Street drugs

Peptide Hormones and analogues

Masking agents for urine samples

Local anesthetics

Blood doping