Shula Denies Ignoring Duper Case : Report Says Dolphin Coach Knew of the Problem in 1986

Don Shula, Miami Dolphins coach, reacting to a magazine article, said Wednesday that he did all he could in 1986 to end player Mark Duper’s associations with convicted drug dealers.

Sports Illustrated reported in its Dec. 12 issue that Shula and Joe Robbie, the Dolphins’ owner, were told more than two years ago about photographs showing Duper with Miami cocaine dealer Nelson Aguilar and other dealers.

“The league and team officials apparently did little to stop Duper’s association with the dealers,” the magazine said.

Last week, the NFL suspended Duper for 30 days for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

“I was very disturbed,” Shula said, “by the implication that I was aware of alleged drug use, or consorting with drug dealers, and didn’t do anything about it.

“As soon as I was aware of the photographs that were taken of two of our ballplayers with two convicted drug dealers, I immediately made the league security department aware of this and called the ballplayers in. (I) talked to them about having their pictures taken with these convicted drug dealers.

“And that was the extent of what I could do.”

According to Stuart Weinstein, team security consultant, Duper was warned to stay away from Aguilar after a photo surfaced showing the two men and former Dolphin Nat Moore. Contrary to the SI article, Weinstein said, he did not tell Robbie about the pictures.

Sports Illustrated said that Duper has been a cocaine user since at least 1986. The NFL said it has been watching his activities for some time.

“Both the NFL and club security representatives have spoken to Mark Duper on more than one occasion on an individual basis over nearly a two-year period regarding his possible association with reputed drug dealers,” said Joe Browne, NFL director of communications.

Browne said it was “ludicrous” to question Shula’s credibility.

“His main job is to coach the team,” Browne said. “The responsibility of warning players regarding associations with unscrupulous characters is the responsibility of security people and our office. And it was done.”

Shula called the SI article “an insult to my integrity and to the discipline that I demand from myself and my players.”

Jane Gilchrist, publicity director for the magazine, said: “We stand by that story as it runs.”

Bruce Greer, Duper’s lawyer, said the article was based on disreputable sources. He said SI failed to mention a polygraph test Duper took last week that indicated the player was telling the truth about not being a cocaine user.

“He does not use drugs,” Greer said.

Duper, a two-time Pro Bowl player and seven-year veteran wide receiver, could not be reached for comment.

West Palm Beach police disclosed last week that an investigation of John Rafael Gomez, a suspect in a $3-million drug deal, had turned up photos of him with Duper and other Dolphins.

The SI article cited sources saying a former driver for Aguilar delivered cocaine to Duper’s North Miami condominium twice in January, 1986. In addition, Kim Knight, the estranged wife of one of Aguilar’s former associates, said she snorted cocaine with Duper in a limousine in 1986.

In the article, Aguilar, who is serving a 13 1/2-year federal prison term in Oxford, Wis., for cocaine trafficking, described Duper as “a very good friend” and said he keeps in contact with the player.