The NCAA News - News and Features

May 5, 1997

Drug-testing Q& A

The NCAA sports sciences staff prepared this set of questions and answers to help institutions prepare their student-athletes for possible drug testing at NCAA spring championships.

Q: How can an institution prepare its student-athletes for NCAA championship drug testing?

A: Although all student-athletes participating in the championship have signed an NCAA Drug-Testing Consent Form, there are other steps a school can take to prepare its student-athletes. All institutions have a copy of the NCAA drug-testing video. The 10-minute tape explains the process of NCAA drug testing and should be shown to student-athletes before the championship. Contact NCAA sports sciences if you do not have a current (1992) copy of the video. The 1996-97 NCAA Drug-Education and Drug-Testing Programs, which contains the NCAA drug-testing protocol and the list of banned-drug classes, is also an excellent reference.

Q: How can a student-athlete find out whether a medication is banned?

A: Student-athletes should ask their athletic trainer or team physician about any medication they plan to take to determine if it is banned. All head athletic trainers have a copy of the 1996 Athletic Drug Reference, which lists NCAA banned drugs. If the athletic trainers or physicians are unsure whether a substance is banned, they should call NCAA sports sciences.

Q: When is drug testing conducted at the championship?

A: Drug testing can occur at any phase of an NCAA championship, from first rounds to finals. Testing is conducted immediately after the event (for example, a game or a race) at that site.

Q: How long does testing take?

A: If a student-athlete provides an adequate specimen, the process takes about 10 minutes. If the student-athlete is unable to provide a specimen or provides a diluted or alkaline specimen, he or she will stay in the drug-testing station until an adequate specimen is provided.

Q: What if an athlete is detained in the testing station for a long time?

A: Institutions should be aware of the possibility that NCAA drug testing may be conducted after their championship event and should make travel arrangements accordingly. The NCAA Executive Committee has determined that if a student-athlete, participating in a team championship where charter aircraft is being used, is detained in drug testing more than three hours, the team may depart. An institutional representative should stay with the student-athlete. The institution may request reimbursement from the NCAA for any overnight expenses and transportation back to the campus for the student-athlete and the institutional representative.

Q: What drugs does the NCAA test for at NCAA championships?

A: The NCAA testing involves urinalysis for these banned-drug classes: stimulants (for example, cocaine and amphetamines), anabolic agents (for example, anabolic steroids and clenbuterol), diuretics, street drugs (for example, heroin and marijuana), peptide hormones and urine manipulators.

Student-athletes should also be knowledgeable about the NCAA's position on blood doping and the restrictions on the use of anesthetics and beta 2 agonists.

Q: What about supplement products?

A: The NCAA has issued warnings about the use of supplement products. Because of the lack of regulation in the production, distribution and sale of these substances, the purity of these products is unknown. Some may contain banned substances. Student-athletes should be urged to check with their physicians or athletic trainer before considering taking any of these products. The 1996 Athletic Drug Reference is an excellent resource on this topic, as is NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook Guideline No. 2J.

Q: When will institutions be informed whether their student-athletes will be tested at the championship?

A: NCAA drug-testing information is reported at the site of each NCAA championship event in prechampionship meetings. If testing is being conducted, the NCAA drug-testing crew chief will be present to answer questions.

Q: In addition to preparing student-athletes for possible drug testing at the championship site, how else should a school prepare for NCAA drug testing?

A: Host institutions for NCAA championships will be informed a few days in advance that drug testing is being conducted. They should follow instructions in the NCAA drug-testing site coordinator manual. Also, in team championships, all schools must have an accurate list of all student-athletes present at the event. If testing is conducted, these lists will be requested by the drug-testing crew chief at the prechampionship meeting and will be used for the random-selection process.

Q: Will the student-athletes or the schools be asked to submit information about medications at the championship site?

A: No. The medical crews do not ask for any information about medications student-athletes are taking.

Q: Are there any changes to the drug-testing process that student-athletes should be aware of?

A: Yes. There are two significant changes in the NCAA drug-testing protocol. They involve the notification process at team championships and the ability to defer drug testing at late-night events.

Q: What is different in the notification process for team championships?

A: The NCAA no longer uses couriers to notify student-athletes of their selection for NCAA drug testing at team championships. (Couriers will still be used for golf, tennis, and outdoor track and field championships.) Instead, the student-athletes will be notified by an NCAA drug-testing crew member with the assistance of institutional representatives (for example, coaches or athletic trainers). This change will require an institutional representative to be present during student-athlete arrival at the drug-testing station in order to identify the student-athletes. Please read Section Nos. 5.3 and 5.3.1 of the 1996-97 NCAA drug-testing protocol for more information about this change.

Q: What about late-night testing?

A: At NCAA team championship events, when competition begins at 9 p.m. or later local time, student-athletes may defer testing until the next morning. Please read Section Nos. 5.3.2 and 5.3.2.1 for more information about this process.

Q: Are there any other changes?

A: Yes. NCAA drug-testing crews may be using special hand-held instruments to measure urinary specific gravity. The instruments are refractometers, and their use improves the accuracy of the specific-gravity measurement.

Q: What if we have additional questions about NCAA drug testing?

A: The drug-testing program is administered by the NCAA sports sciences staff under the direction of the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports and the NCAA Executive Committee. Contact the NCAA sports sciences staff via telephone or Internet for further information. Drug-testing information is also available via the NCAA fax-on-demand system.