Identity of Athlete A remains a mystery
ASHBURN – The Washington Redskins players are doing the same thing as many others these days. They’re trying to guess which of them is Athlete A, the one who is part of a federal investigation involving an illegal supplement.
Not that all of them really want to learn this teammate’s identity.
“I don’t want to know,” Redskins end Phillip Daniels said. “I don’t want to look at my [teammate] and say, ‘You’ve been doing that all this time?’ Who knows if it helped him or hurt him … I hope they tear the papers up and let it go.”
The so-called Athlete A, as he has been referred to by federal investigators, is the player Canadian doctor Anthony Galea was heading to see in September. Galea has been charged with illegally providing human growth hormone to NFL players, including Athlete A.
The player told investigators that he did not knowingly use HGH.
“Guys that use HGH know what they’re doing,” Daniels said.
Whoever it is has been on the roster since 2007 and was treated by Galea from that time until 2009.
“I’ve read so many different reports, and there are so many rumors and speculation that happens,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said. “I let the due process take care of itself, and if there’s any validity in those statements we’ll act accordingly.”
Shanahan said he has not talked to anyone in the league about this matter.
HGH is said to increase muscle mass and strength, but some players say they heard it simply helped them heal faster. The NFL does not test for HGH, but it is a banned substance. If caught doing it, the player would be suspended for four games.
“I don’t know that it gains an advantage,” Redskins corner Carlos Rogers said. “You’re just getting [your body] back to where it was.”
Said Shanahan: “The NFL’s been on top of it. One of the reasons they’ve been there is because it gives you a competitive advantage.”
And that’s why the players wonder who it might be.
“To a degree it does matter,” defensive end Andre Carter said. “Before knowing you’re like, ‘That boy is balling.’ But then you find out the reason, and you’re like, ‘Maybe that explains it.’ But regardless he’s still family. We won’t turn our backs on him.”
Besides, Daniels said, they don’t know who’s telling the truth in this case: the busted doctor or the player.
“No one knows the truth but him and the doctor,” Daniels said. “But the best thing is to do things the right way and you’ll come out on top.”
