Bust Could Expose Steroid Use By NFL Players

An Orlando pharmacy was raided Tuesday for allegedly selling steroids on the internet, and you can bet some college and pro athletes around the country are sweating the release of customer names. An extensive report in the Albany Times Union indicates current and former Major League Baseball players, National Football League players, college athletes, high school coaches, a former Mr. Olympia champion and another leading contender in the bodybuilding competition have been linked to the pharmacy.

And on a related note, a top physician for the Pittsburgh Steelers was interviewed in connection with the aforementioned raid. Doctor Richard Rydze allegedly purchased last year, using a personal credit card, about $150,000 worth of testosterone and human growth hormone from the pharmacy in question. According to the report, Rydze told investigators, who had been tracking suspicious shipments, that the drugs were for his private patients.

At this time, nothing has been released indicating any of those performance enhancing drugs purchased by Rydze eventually found their way into the bodies of any current or previous Steelers players. And with Rydze not only having his own private practice, but also holding a position as consulting physician for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Aviation Administration, it could just be a matter of those pesky FBI guys looking to bulk up a little in their never-ending fight against crime.

Regardless, this story is worth keeping an eye on. There could be some serious fallout in the NFL once the 2007 season rolls around.