Denver Broncos fans are waiting for the return of star quarterback Peyton Manning but they were rocked by a controversial news on Saturday, linking the future Hall of Famer to doping scandal.
Huffington Post reported that an Al Jazeera documentary revealed that an anti-aging clinic in Indianapolis sent human growth hormone (HGH) to Manning's home in 2011. During the time, Manning was still with the Indianapolis Colts and was recovering from neck surgeries.
Pharmacist Charlie Sly, who previously worked at the Guyer Clinic, said that their health center regularly sent HGH to Manning's home under the name of his wife, Ashley. Sly pointed out that the HGH were addressed to Ashley so that Manning will not be punished for using the banned substance.
"All the time we would be sending Ashley Manning drugs," Sly said. "Like growth hormone, all the time, everywhere, Florida. And it would never be under Peyton's name, it would always be under her name."
When asked about the report linking him to use of performance-enhancing drugs, Manning vehemently denied that he took banned substance before and blasted people who are making up stories.
"The allegation that I would do something like that is complete garbage and is totally made up," Manning said via New York Post. "I really can't believe somebody would put something like this on the air. Whoever said this is making stuff up."
Manning's camp also insisted that the report about Manning using HGH is "outrageous and wrong" but did not deny that HGH were delivered to Manning's address in 2011. They pointed out, though, that the delivery has something to do with an agreement between Ashley Manning and his doctors.
Meanwhile, Sly also issued a statement to ESPN, insisting the he has already recanted his claims, admitting that he "made up" stories to test undercover reporter Liam Collins, who he thought was just trying to get information about the supplementation business when they talked before.
"When I realized Al Jazeera was using a secret taping and Collins as a so-called investigative reporter, I was baffled," Sly told ESPN. "I cannot believe that can happen. That's why I recanted the story. It wasn't true, and I was trying to pull one over on Collins to see if he had any idea of what he was talking about."
Aside from Manning, Mike Tyson, Ryan Howard, Ryan Zimmerman, Julius Peppers and James Harrison were also mentioned in the documentary but Sly also clarified that he just dropped those names to test Collins.
