[CBFF] OT-Take Asthma meds get suspended

[Kenny Claxton]

Thomas' asthma medicine causes drug policy violation


By John Clayton
ESPN.com


The Saints suffered a big blow to their defense Tuesday when they
found out defensive tackle Hollis Thomas, who is having a career year,
is being suspended for four games because he violated the league's
steroid policy due to asthma medication he takes.


Thomas has been challenging the positive steroid test and had the
support of the Saints. Thomas is a 335-pound defensive tackle who has
struggled to keep his weight down and doesn't have the body that
normally would be linked to steroids.

During his appeal, John Amoss, who is the Saints' team trainer and an
assistant professor at the LSU Health Science Center, sent a letter to
the league in support of Thomas. Amoss said Thomas has severe asthma
problems and requires a high dose of inhaled steroids to breathe.
According to the doctor, Thomas needs a long acting beta agonist and a
short acting beta agonist to control his asthma.

During his August drug test, the defensive tackle was taking an asthma
product called Advair twice a day while also using an inhaler four
times a day.

"Advair contains both the steroid fluticasone and the long acting beta
agonist galmeterol," wrote Amoss, who thought the possibility of a
false positive might have happened.

After taking the information under consideration, the league ruled
Thomas was in violation of the policy and he will be lost to the team
for the remainder of the regular season.

If New Orleans makes the playoffs, Thomas would be eligible to play.
He can be added to the active roster on Jan. 1, 2007, the day after
the regular season ends.

Senior writer John Clayton covers the NFL for ESPN.com. Information
from The Associated Press was used in this report.