George: Cowboys DE David Irving takes responsibility for failed drug test: 'I thought I was hitting a second puberty'

Cotton

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Cowboys DE David Irving takes responsibility for failed drug test: 'I thought I was hitting a second puberty'
By Brandon George , Staff Writer

OXNARD, Calif. -- Cowboys defensive end David Irving took responsibility Monday for taking a substance that led to him violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy.

Irving said he was disappointed in himself in his first public statement since the NFL announced in late June a four-game suspension for him to start the season.

Irving, who had become the Cowboys' most effective pass-rusher by late last season, said he started taking a new pre-workout booster early on in the offseason.

"Everything listed on the bottle was fine. It was supposed to be all natural, but [it had] a hidden ingredient," Irving said. "It was a substance that actually wasn't even listed on the bottle. When I asked about the substance, they don't even know the substance. I guess my testosterone levels were too high.

"It gets you going. I started taking it after the season when you're not working out with the team, you know, something to get my ass in the gym. It's funny, I thought I was hitting a second puberty."

Irving said when he received a letter in the mail from the NFL alerting him that he had failed a drug test, he was shocked.

"I was pretty upset," Irving said. "As soon as I got the letter I called right away, like, 'What the [expletive]! This has to be a mistake.' But it wasn't. I made the mistake."

Irving's appeal was denied by the league. The drug policy clearly states that each athlete is responsible for what he puts into his body.

"Even though they didn't know what was in it and I don't know," Irving said, "my testosterone levels were still too high.

"It is what it is at this point. I've had a lot of time to dwell on it, a lot of fans on my Facebook cussing me out. It is what it is. I put it to bed a long time ago. I'm back here with my team in Oxnard and I'm happy. It feels good to be here. Whether I'm playing or not it feels good to be around the team and actually playing football again."
 

Smitty

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Kind of a dumb policy, but I guess you can't have players being able to hide behind "I didn't know what was in it," because then these drug companies would stop labeling what's in their products, wink wink, nudge.

But you'd think there'd be some sort of credibility determination when it comes to being able to produce the bottle without the ingredient on the label. Did the player actually not know, or is he trying to game the system?

Also, does the fact that he's suspended 4 games mean he's previously failed a test? Cause I also think if you claim ignorance, you should get a warning/strike and be ordered to stop taking it. Then if you fail again, you get the suspension.
 

vince

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Kind of a dumb policy, but I guess you can't have players being able to hide behind "I didn't know what was in it," because then these drug companies would stop labeling what's in their products, wink wink, nudge.

But you'd think there'd be some sort of credibility determination when it comes to being able to produce the bottle without the ingredient on the label. Did the player actually not know, or is he trying to game the system?

Also, does the fact that he's suspended 4 games mean he's previously failed a test? Cause I also think if you claim ignorance, you should get a warning/strike and be ordered to stop taking it. Then if you fail again, you get the suspension.
I agree. If this is all true, he should've been given a slap on the wrist.
 

Cotton

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Kind of a dumb policy, but I guess you can't have players being able to hide behind "I didn't know what was in it," because then these drug companies would stop labeling what's in their products, wink wink, nudge.

But you'd think there'd be some sort of credibility determination when it comes to being able to produce the bottle without the ingredient on the label. Did the player actually not know, or is he trying to game the system?

Also, does the fact that he's suspended 4 games mean he's previously failed a test? Cause I also think if you claim ignorance, you should get a warning/strike and be ordered to stop taking it. Then if you fail again, you get the suspension.
I thought the FDA has regulations requiring all ingredients be listed.
 

Smitty

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I thought the FDA has regulations requiring all ingredients be listed.
I dunno, it seems like even if that requirement exists, David Irving says he has a drug with an unlisted, NFL-banned ingredient. I assume it would just encourage other shady companies to do the same, if Irving's defense worked.
 

Cotton

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I dunno, it seems like even if that requirement exists, David Irving says he has a drug with an unlisted, NFL-banned ingredient. I assume it would just encourage other shady companies to do the same, if Irving's defense worked.
Here are the regulations, but it seems that they are kind of vague and give companies outs on not listing all ingredients. Maybe I'm reading it wrong. I just skimmed it.

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfCFR/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=201.10
 

NoDak

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Also, does the fact that he's suspended 4 games mean he's previously failed a test? Cause I also think if you claim ignorance, you should get a warning/strike and be ordered to stop taking it. Then if you fail again, you get the suspension.
I don't think so. I believe this stuff falls under a failed PED test. Which is an automatic 4 game for a first offense. A failed test for a recreational drug, like marijuana is the test where you get the first strike free.
 

Chocolate Lab

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I thought the FDA has regulations requiring all ingredients be listed.
That's why I'm not buying this. I don't think anything you buy at GNC makes you feel like you're hitting a "second puberty." Especially not a mid-20s guy.
 

dallen

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Here are the regulations, but it seems that they are kind of vague and give companies outs on not listing all ingredients. Maybe I'm reading it wrong. I just skimmed it.

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfCFR/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=201.10
FDA rules apply to nutritional supplements like this was presumably marketed as. I think they are still supposed to list everything, but it never gets formally reviewed until there is a complaint.

Dietary Supplements can be beneficial to your health — but taking supplements can also involve health risks. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have the authority to review dietary supplement products for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed.
https://www.fda.gov/food/dietarysupplements/usingdietarysupplements/ucm109760.htm
 

data

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Has the drug company or reputable source confirmed that the banned substance indeed exists in the product?

For all we know, Irving could be lying and snorting elephant steroids off a hooker's ass.
 

midswat

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That's why I'm not buying this. I don't think anything you buy at GNC makes you feel like you're hitting a "second puberty." Especially not a mid-20s guy.
This. Plus nothing you buy at GNC has the ability to raise testosterone levels significantly.

Edit: Has it ever been made public what this "substance" is he was taking?
 

shane

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Has the drug company or reputable source confirmed that the banned substance indeed exists in the product?

For all we know, Irving could be lying and snorting elephant steroids off a hooker's ass.
LOL, yup. Nevertheless, I hope he gets his shit together when he comes back. He could be a real star if he gets off the dope and keeps working with Marinelli to improve.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Has the drug company or reputable source confirmed that the banned substance indeed exists in the product?

For all we know, Irving could be lying and snorting elephant steroids off a hooker's ass.
I'm not sure. But the NFL drug testing policy really doesn't care so as fans we will probably never know.

At this point my only real concern is that what we saw from Irving last year was a product of the supplement he was taking. I hope that isn't the case but we all know what happened to Shawn Merriman when he got busted for roids. Dude shrank quickly.
 
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