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The NFL is continuing to pursue an investigation of players named in an Al-Jazeera report on performance-enhancing drugs and remains at odds with its players association over its right to do so.NFL executive Adolpho Birch sent a letter to the NFLPA on Thursday -- in response to letters the NFLPA sent Tuesday -- asserting the leagues right to investigate its players based on the Al-Jazeera report. Birch disputed the unions claim that the NFL must meet a standard of credible evidence before players James Harrison, Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers and Mike Neal submit to interviews with league investigators.The NFLPAs position ... is fundamentally at odds with the CBA, the Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances and basic tenets of labor law, Birch, the NFLs senior vice president for labor policy, wrote in Thursdays letter, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN.As explained in my June 3 letter, the report that prompted this investigation depicted what appeared to be a network of businesses and persons describing an intricate scheme to provide athletes in several sports with performance-enhancing and other substances. There can be no rational question that a nationally aired documentary report with potential impact on public confidence in the game of football is a sufficient basis upon which to investigate the totality of those claims, including those pertaining to the NFL players.One of the unions stronger arguments against allowing the investigation is the fact that pharmacist Charlie Sly -- the source for the Al-Jazeera report that implicated the four aforementioned players, retired quarterback Peyton Manning and athletes from other sports -- has since recanted his remarks. Birch disputes the relevance of that argument.The fact that statements aired in the report may have been since recanted, while potentially relevant to any ultimate conclusions reached, does not extinguish our need to investigate, Birch wrote. And it is hardly remarkable or dispositive that an individual would publicly disavow statements for which he may be subject to criminal or civil sanctions.Birchs Thursday letter asserts that NFL players have the obligation to cooperate with league investigations and could face discipline for failing to do so -- a point sure to be contested by the other side as this dispute progresses.Notably, none of the letters the union sent earlier this week were on behalf of Manning, who is a former player and could decide to cooperate with the league investigation even as the union defends its current players from having to do so. The NFLPA has been in contact with Manning, whose cooperation could conceivably put the other four players in a difficult position from a public relations standpoint. Some people familiar with his thinking believe he will cooperate.This dispute came to a head earlier this week when Harrison, who has a history of public arguments with the league over discipline matters, said commissioner Roger Goodell would have to go to his house if he wanted to interview him. Harrison Butker Jersey . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. Khalen Saunders Jersey . Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke thought taking him out before the fifth inning was an unusual move. "Im looking up at the board and hes got two hits given up and one run, and Im taking him out after the fourth inning," Roenicke said. http://www.thechiefsshoponline.com/Youth-Joe-Montana-Chiefs-Jersey/ . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Patrick Mahomes Jersey . 8 Kansas to a 64-63 win over Texas Tech on Tuesday night. The freshman from Vaughan, Ont. Joe Montana Chiefs Jersey . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory.Marcel Granollers won in the first round of the Barcelona Open to book a tie against top seed Rafael Nadal. Playing in his home town, the world No 50 Granollers beat fellow Spaniard Daniel Munoz 6-4 6-3 on Tuesday and his reward will be a second-round match against clay-court king Nadal.Fifth seed Roberto Bautista-Agut has become the highest ranked player to fall so far after a 6-2 6-7 6-3 defeat to the unseeded Karen Khachanov. Benoit Paire, the sixth seed, beat Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-2 7-5 while Thiemo de Bakker has earned a seccond-round tie against defending champion Kei Nishikori after a 6-4 6-7 6-3 win against Elias Ymer.dddddddddddd.Ivan Dodig, Abert Ramos, Mikhail Youzhny and Pablo Carreno-Busta are also through to the next round on Wednesday.Watch the Barcelona Open on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD at 12.30pm. Also See: ATP schedule Tennis on Sky Latest scores Get a NOW TV pass Video ' ' '