Denver Broncos

Report: Manning to 'probably' sue Al Jazeera over HGH story

Published Dec. 28, 2015 4:09 a.m. ET

foxsports

Peyton Manning began Sunday once again claiming the Al Jazeera report linking him to HGH was a “complete fabrication” and that the report made him “furious.” By the end of the night -- a night which included the report finally airing on the network -- the Denver Broncos quarterback was threatening legal action.

Monday Morning Quarterback writer and NBC “Football Night in America” contributor Peter King reported Sunday night that he spoke with Manning about potentially suing Al Jazeera for the report, and received this answer:

The Al Jazeera report linked numerous high-profile American athletes to HGH, including Manning, Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard and Nationals infielder Ryan Zimmerman.

The report claims Manning received HGH from an Indianapolis anti-aging clinic in 2011 while he was still with the Colts. The drug, which was banned by the NFL in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, reportedly was delivered to his wife, Ashley, so that the quarterback's name was never attached to the shipments.

“It makes me sick that it brings Ashley into it, her medical history being violated,” Manning said. “Any medical treatment that my wife received, that’s her business.”

Liam Collins, a British hurdler, went undercover and spoke with Charlie Sly, an Austin, Texas-based pharmacist who worked at the Guyer Institute, the Indiana-based anti-aging clinic in 2011. Sly allegedly names Manning and other high-profile athletes as having received HGH from the clinic.

However, Sly has already backtracked in a subsequent statement to Al Jazeera, saying Collins secretly recorded his conversations without his knowledge or consent.

"The statements on any recordings or communications that Al Jazeera plans to air are absolutely false and incorrect," Sly said. "To be clear, I am recanting any such statements and there is no truth to any statement of mine that Al Jazeera plans to air. Under no circumstances should any of those recordings, statements or communications be aired."