Peyton Manning Strongly Denies Report He Used Human Growth Hormone in 2011
A report in a news channel claims Peyton Manning received human growth hormone (HGH) from an Indianapolis anti-aging clinic in 2011 while he was still playing for the Colts.
Peyton Manning strongly denied a report set to air on an international news channel that contends the Denver Broncos quarterback received human growth hormone (HGH) through his wife during his recovery from neck fusion surgeries in 2011 in Indianapolis.
In a statement on Saturday night, Manning said: "The allegation that I would do something like that is complete garbage and is totally made up. It never happened. Never."
He added, "I really can't believe somebody would put something like this on the air. Whoever said this is making stuff up."
The allegations surfaced in the news channel's undercover probe into doping in global sports that is set to air on Sunday and was shared in advance with the Huffington Post.
The report claims Manning received HGH from an Indianapolis anti-aging clinic in 2011 while he was still with the Colts. It said the drug, which was banned by the NFL in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, was delivered to his wife, Ashley, so that the quarterback's name was never attached to the shipments.
Liam Collins, a British hurdler, went undercover and spoke with Charlie Sly, an Austin, Texas-based pharmacist who worked at the Guyer Institute, the Indiana-based anti-aging clinic in 2011. Sly allegedly names Manning and other high profile athletes as having received HGH from the clinic.
However, Sly backtracks in a subsequent statement to the news channel, saying Collins secretly recorded his conversations without his knowledge or consent.
"The statements on any recordings or communications that the news channel plans to air are absolutely false and incorrect," Sly said.
"To be clear, I am recanting any such statements and there is no truth to any statement of mine that they plan to air. Under no circumstances should any of those recordings, statements or communications be aired."
The NFL and players union added human growth hormone testing to the collective bargaining agreement signed in 2011 but the side didn't agree to testing terms until 2014. Nobody has tested positive, which would trigger a four-game suspension.
Manning, who joined the Broncos in 2012, has been sidelined since November 15 by a left foot injury.