The NCAA News - News and Features

May 12, 1997

Sports Science Newsletter
NCAA Convention considers health proposals

By Frank D. Uryasz
Director of Sports Sciences

Four legislative proposals sponsored by the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports were considered at the 1997 NCAA Convention. The purpose of each of the proposals was to enhance the health and safety of collegiate student-athletes. Three were approved by the voters and one was referred to the Division I and II Management Councils.

SPRING FOOTBALL, PROPOSAL NO. 125

A proposal to reduce the injury rate in spring football was crafted by the competitive-safeguards committee and was voted upon by the Divisions I and II membership. The proposal called for reductions in contact days, a period of acclimation without contact and the elimination of the use of shoulder pads in noncontact sessions. The membership referred the safety proposal to the new Division I and Division II Management Councils for action before the 1998 spring football season. A thorough review of spring football injuries can be found on page 2.

TOBACCO PRODUCTS, PROPOSAL NO. 134

As a result of a membership vote in all three divisions, NCAA rules committees will establish uniform penalties for the use of tobacco products by all games personnel during collegiate practices and competitions. Once these penalties are in place, the competitive-safeguards committee will focus its efforts on educational methods to maximize compliance with the NCAA ban on the use of tobacco products. Educational materials to deter spit-tobacco use are available from 1-800/4-CANCER.

PROBABLE-CAUSE DRUG TESTING, PROPOSAL NO. 135

A proposal that had its genesis within coaches' associations gained the support of the competitive-safeguards committee and the NCAA Executive Committee. It also gained the support of the membership and was passed for all three divisions. Beginning August 1, student-athletes who test positive for substances banned by the NCAA as a part of drug-testing programs sponsored by international or national sports governing bodies, Olympic organizations, or both will be tested by the NCAA. Before this proposal, such athletes were not subject to NCAA testing unless they were randomly selected in NCAA year-round or postseason drug testing. The new guidelines and protocol for this program will be announced this summer.

TRANSFER AFTER AN NCAA POSITIVE DRUG TEST,

PROPOSAL NO. 136

Student-athletes who test positive through the NCAA drug-testing programs and are ruled ineligible will no longer be able to transfer to another NCAA school without that school's knowledge that the student-athlete is ineligible. Although the committee was unsure of the extent of this problem, it asked the membership for administrative safeguards to deter student-athletes from not informing their new schools of their ineligibility. This legislation goes into effect August 1.

The committee recognizes its unique responsibility to ensure that the nature of sport is kept in balance with the safety and health of its participants. Frequently, this is achieved through education, cooperation and a shared responsibility to provide a safe environment. Occasionally, the competitive-safeguards committee asks the membership for legislative action when it believes stronger interventions are needed or when the balance of interests compromise the safety of the student-athletes. The support of these proposals shows that the competitive-safeguards committee's commitment to improving the health and safety of student-athletes continues to receive approval from the NCAA membership.

Frank D. Uryasz is the Director of Sports Sciences and the primary NCAA staff liaison to the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports.