NBA and coronavirus: players will not be tested during the break

The NBA and National Basketball Players Association have reached an agreement not to subject players to screening tests drug use during the coronavirus-induced season break, according to Yahoo Sports.

NBA players generally undergo «six random and unannounced urine tests during each season and offseason.» This decision is temporary.

Cannabis, steroids, and performance-enhancing substances are among the substances banned under the league’s anti-doping program, even though some states allow recreational and medical use of cannabis for people 21 and older. Some other sports leagues, such as MLB and the NFL, have already have already stopped testing their players for cannabis or have reduced the penalties.

Under the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, players who test positive for hard drugs (heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, etc.) are banned from the league for at least two years, and players who test positive for performance-enhancing substances are suspended for 25 games for a first offense, 55 games for a second offense, and are banned from the league for at least two years for a third offense.

For cannabis, penalties are already in place. A first offense results in mandatory enrollment in the NBA’s substance abuse program. For a second offense, the penalty can be a fine of up to 25000$; a third offense results in a 5-game suspension, followed by an additional 5-game suspension for each subsequent offense.

As of now, the United States has banned all events with 50 or more people for the next two months. However, the NBA’s return after this period is not guaranteed, due both to uncertainty about how long the hiatus will last and to questions about whether the league will be able to complete the remaining games on the schedule.