(Reuters) – There is no credible evidence that future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning used human growth hormone or performance-enhancing drugs as was alleged in an Al-Jazeera documentary, the National Football League said on Monday. Manning, who retired at the end of last season after leading the Denver Broncos to a Super Bowl win over the Carolina Panthers, had denied allegations made in the documentary that he took human growth hormone while recovering from neck surgery in 2011. The NFL said in a statement that the Mannings were fully cooperative with the investigation and provided both interviews and access to all records sought by the investigators.
The Al-Jazeera report, released in December, alleged that Manning’s wife received deliveries of HGH at their home in 2011 while he was recovering from surgery while playing for the Indianapolis Colts. The investigation was led by the NFL’s security and legal teams with support from expert consultants and other professionals.
While Manning, a five-times NFL most valuable player, was cleared the league said it would continue to investigate allegations made against other players.
Manning was the most prominent of the names mentioned in the report which also implicated Green Bay’s Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers, former Packer Mike Neal and James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Reporting by Steve Keating, Editing by Ed Osmond)
Reuters
