Dick Pound says Georges Laraques allegations about performance-enhancing drugs in the NHL reinforce what he himself said six years ago. Pound, then president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, raised eyebrows in November 2005, when he said as many as a third of NHL players were using some kind of performance-enhancing drug. Laraque, a retired hockey enforcer, wrote in his new book that he knew players, not just tough guys, who used steroids and stimulants while he was in the league. "Anybody who pays attention to these things already knew that," Pound said Monday from his Montreal law office. "The only organization in denial was the NHL." Pounds 2005 assertions brought vehement denials from the NHL, the Players Association and some players. Pound has been an International Olympic Committee member for 33 years. Hell be inducted into the Canadas Sports Hall Of Fame in Calgary as a builder Tuesday alongside hockey star Ray Bourque, CFL kicker Lui Passaglia, soccer player Andrea Neil, triathlete Peter Reid and Paralympian Lauren Woolstencroft. While president of WADA from its inception in 1999 to 2007, Pound publicly singled out sports organizations he thought turned a blind eye to doping by their athletes. Laraque, who retired in 2010 after playing almost 700 career games, writes in "The Story of the NHLs Unlikeliest Tough Guy" that the NHL only began policing drugs in his final years in the league. Pound isnt sure its working. "When you see some of the stuff occurring on the rinks these days, you dont know whether youre dealing with people who are playing the game in a steroid rage or not, but some of these head shots are not accidents," he said. The NHL and NHLPA agreed on a drug testing policy in their collective bargaining agreement in July 2005 after the lockout of 2004-05. A first offence is a 20-game suspension and referral to the leagues behavioural health program. The second is a 60-game suspension. A third violation is a permanent suspension with the right to apply for reinstatement after two years. Defenceman Sean Hill is the only player to be suspended under the policy. He served a 20-game ban in 2007 when he played for the New York Islanders. Colorado Avalanche goalie Jose Theodore and Islanders defenceman Bryan Berard failed out-of-competition tests in 2005, but neither was suspended by the NHL because its drug policy didnt take effect until Jan. 15, 2006. Pound maintains there is a gaping hole in the NHLs drug strategy because players are tested only during the pre-season and regular season. "They still dont test in the off-season," Pound said. "If youve got an IQ higher than room temperature, you know they can do this program for a number of weeks and have the stuff all flushed out of your system and still get the benefit of it. "If you know youre not getting tested before the season begins, its an invitation to do it in the off-season." According to the PAs website, testing is conducted by a private lab out of California, which Pound says is not arms length enough. "Its not being independently done," he said. "The NHL is doing their own testing." The NHL tests players for substances on WADAs banned list except for human growth hormone. The NHL wont include HGH until it is negotiated into a new collective bargaining agreement. The NFL and Major League Baseball are also still working on testing for HGH. The NHLPA told The Canadian Press on Monday that performance-enhancing drugs are "an area that will be reviewed as part of the upcoming CBA talks between the league and the NHLPA." Laraque doesnt identify players who used steroids in his book and indicated there was a code of silence around the subject in the dressing room. "It was true that quite a lot of them did use this drug, but other, more talented players did too," he wrote. "Most of us knew who they were, but not a single player, not even me, would ever think of raising his hand to break the silence and accuse a fellow player." Pound still finds athlete secrecy around the issue frustrating. "One of the most disappointing things I found in WADA was the reluctance of athletes who are being cheated out of what their performance deserves to say anything about it," he lamented. "They just sort of take it. The organizations are much more vicious with the whistle blowers than they are with the folks using the drugs." But Toronto Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf said Monday hes never witnessed evidence of players on performance-enhancing drugs. "I was in the dressing room pre-lockout for training camp. Never heard (about it) nor saw it," Phaneuf said. "Ive never, ever seen it." Ottawa Senators centre Zenon Konopka was surprised by Laraques assertions about the use of performance-enhancing drugs in the NHL and questioned the validity of those statements. "I dont know what his reasons are to define it as a problem, but its like most things in life that people dont get enough information and shoot their mouth off about something before they get all their facts," Konopka said. "I think Georges probably should have done a little more fact-finding himself before making comments that maybe hell regret." Pound says his statement six years ago was based on information gathered from players, referees, coaches and doctors. "Its sort of anecdotal, but very consistent," he said. While Pound wonders if Laraque will be shunned by the hockey community because of some of the contents of his book, the former IOC vice-president hopes the book gets read. "If people read it and buy into it, that would be great," Pound said. "You throw the challenge up to the NHL and say OK, you guys have been saying theres no problem here. Heres written evidence that there is. What are you going to do about it? "It will be very interesting to see what (NHL commissioner Gary) Bettman would say about that." Bettman himself has acknowledged the need for better testing. Prior to the 2009 Stanley Cup final, the NHL commissioner said during his state of the league address that he was in favour of year-round testing and an expanded list of banned substances. However, a deal with former NHLPA boss Paul Kelly was never reached. The NHL did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Laraques drug allegations. ------ Chris Johnston in Toronto and Lisa Wallace in Ottawa contributed to this story. Cheap Jerseys . Murphy, who spent the past seven seasons with the Texas Rangers, must pass a physical before the deal can be completed, the person told The Associated Press on Tuesday night. wholesale nfl jerseys . The team says Adriano will have to stay inside the hotel at the teams headquarters at least through the weekend, eating only what doctors give him and practicing three times a day. ... New York Jets Jerseys . Therrien was Bouillons coach in junior hockey when they won the Memorial Cup with the Granby Predateurs and was coaching him again when the stocky Montreal Canadiens defenceman celebrated his 38th birthday on Thursday. C... Tottenham Hotspur Jerseys . Westlake had a hat trick as Canada downed the United States 4-1 in the final Saturday. "(Westlake) gets bigger as the games get bigger," said Canadian coach Mike Mondin. ATLANTA -- Two rookies came through in key situations to help Atlantas Tim Hudson beat Arizonas Josh Collmenter. Backed by a key defensive play by first baseman Freddie Freeman and two ninth-inning strikeouts by closer Craig Kimbrel with a runner on third, Hudson and the Braves beat Collmenter and the Diamondbacks 1-0 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep. Hudson combined with Jonny Venters and Kimbrel on a five-hit shutout. Alex Gonzalez homered for the games only run. Hudson (13-7) allowed only three hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in seven innings. "He was outstanding," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. "Wow. What a performance. He got out of a couple of jams and gave us the opportunity to win." Kimbrel escaped trouble in the ninth to earn his 39th save. Kimbrel walked Chris Young with one out in the ninth. Young advanced to third on Miguel Monteros single up the middle. Kimbrel hit 100 miles per hour on the Turner Field radar gun before striking out Paul Goldschmidt on a 99 m.p.h. fastball. He struck out Sean Burroughs to end the game. "I felt confident the whole time," Kimbrel said. The Braves strengthened their lead in the NL wild-card race by winning six of seven from the NL Wests top two teams -- San Francisco and Arizona -- to complete a 7-3 homestand. "It was huge," said Braves catcher Brian McCann. "We had the two best teams from the West come to town and we took six of seven." The Diamondbacks have lost five straight to match their longest skid of the season. The Braves have won four straight and six of seven and began the day eight games ahead of the Giants in the NL wild-card race. Kimbrel leads the majors in saves and is one behind the rookie record of 40 saves by Neftali Feliz of Texas in 2010. By striking out the side in the ninth, Kimbrel has 100 for the season, the most among relievers in the majors. Kimbrel is considered a leading candidate for NL rookie of the year. Freeman, hitting .293 with 17 homers and consistent strong defence at first base, is another top rookie. He delivered a strong catch and throw in the sixth inning to preserve the 1-0 lead. Arizonas Kelly Johnson led off the sixth with a triple to right. One out later, Chris Young hit a popup that Freeman chased into foul territory and caught while running with his back to the plate. Johnson took off from third base as Freeman turned and threw to the plate. Catcher Brian McCann moved to his right to catch Freemaans throw and then made a lunging tag before Johnson slid over the plate.dddddddddddd "Hes such an athlete, I knew he was going to make that play," McCann said. "I just caught it and dove for the plate." Fredi Gonzalez said McCann deserved credit "for sticking his nose in there and cutting Kelly off." Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said Johnson had to try to score when the Diamondbacks had so few chances. "We forced them to make a play," Gibson said. "I liked what Kelly did. ... We were going to go down swinging." Arizona began the day 2.5 games ahead of San Francisco in the NL West. Collmenter (7-8) gave up only four hits and one run in seven innings but saw his streak of road starts without a win extended to nine. The Diamondbacks have scored only nine runs in their last six games, including three runs in the three losses to Atlanta. "We tried to make as much happen as we could," Gibson said. "We each got five hits. They got a home run. They got seven home runs in three games. We hit none. Thats uncharacteristic of us." Collmenter loaded the bases with one out in the sixth but pitched out of the jam with fly balls from Dan Uggla and Freeman. The Braves couldnt extend the lead in the eighth when Michael Bourn hit a one-out double to right and advanced to third on Justin Uptons fielding error. Bourn took off from third on an attempted squeeze play, but Martin Prado missed the bunt attempt and Bourn was caught in a rundown. "Thats why they call it a suicide squeeze," said Fredi Gonzalez said. The Diamondbacks also lost five straight from May 8-13. Both streaks came on road trips. NOTES: The Braves wore new "Ernie" patches on their sleeves to honour former pitcher and longtime broadcaster Ernie Johnson Sr., who died on Aug. 12 at the age of 87. ... Braves RHP Peter Moylan will begin an injury rehabilitation assignment with triple-A Gwinnett on Monday. He had surgery on May 17 to repair a bulging disk in his lower back. ... RHP Tommy Hanson (shoulder) plans to throw in the bullpen on Monday in Chicago and could begin a rehab stint with Greenville on Saturday. ... RHP Jair Jurrjens will face the Cubs Ryan Dempster as the Braves open a four-game series in Chicago on Monday night. The Cubs won two of three in Atlanta on Aug. 12-14. ... Arizonas 10-game road trip through the NL East continues Monday when LHP Joe Saunders faces Washingtons Ross Detwiler in the opener of a four-game series. cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '