NFL Warns About Clenbuterol In Meat

Clenbuterol in meat? Sign us up! Just kidding. Sort of. NFL players are being warned about eating meat produced in China and Mexico that may contain clenbuterol, a drug used for cutting which is banned under the league's performance-enhancing substance policy. The NFL sent a memo to players, saying "consuming large quantities of meat while visiting those particular countries may result in a positive test."

"Players are warned to be aware of this issue when traveling to Mexico and China," the memo read. "Please take caution if you decide to consume meat, and understand that you do so at your own risk."
The drug-testing program again advised: "Players are responsible for what is in their bodies."

NFL player Duane Brown tested positive for clenbuterol last season after a bye-week trip to Mexico, during which he ate Mexican beef, sources said.  After a months-long process, Brown was finally cleared in April, allowing him to avoid what would have been a 10-game suspension.

In 2011, five players on Mexico's national soccer team tested positive for clenbuterol, and the country's federation ruled the positive tests were caused by contaminated meat. At the 2011 U-17 World Cup held in Mexico, FIFA found a majority of all players tested had traces of clenbuterol in their systems. Mexican cattle ranchers are banned from using clenbuterol as a growth stimulator, but reports suggest that it is still used widely.

SOURCE: ESPN