As an NCAA student-athlete, I am responsible for all substances that enter my body, and if by chance these substances do show up positive on an NCAA drug test, then I am fully aware that I will suffer the consequences.

But as a member of the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, I have had the chance to hear many drug-test appeals. Most of the student-athletes who have lost eligibility tested positive as a result of ignorance about the banned substance list and NCAA procedure. Most student-athletes who test positive for banned substances are unaware that the substance they were taking is banned, or that because their supplements were purchased over the counter, they contained banned substances. Although all student-athletes sign an NCAA drug-testing consent form, the information concerning banned drugs is sometimes unclear.

Because student-athletes who wish to find information concerning drug testing often are uncomfortable approaching members of the athletics staff for answers, they are left to research their questions on their own. The NCAA has done a great job of making all of this information available through its Web site, but because there is a wealth of information available, it is sometimes difficult to find what you are specifically looking for.

Most student-athletes know about the NCAA Web site (www.ncaa.org), but do not know which link will lead them to information on drug testing and the NCAA banned substances list. There is a great page that gives detailed information on NCAA drug-testing protocol as well as a full printable version of the NCAA banned substances list, located at www.ncaa.org/health-safety.

Another site that can be extremely beneficial is the Dietary Supplement Resource Exchange Center (REC) located at www.
drugfreesport.com/rec. This site is a service subscribed to by the NCAA to provide student-athletes a place to check out any nutritional supplement for NCAA banned substances. Student-athletes pull down "ncaa" in the first box, then use the password ncaa1, ncaa2 or ncaa3 depending on their institution's division, or get a password from their athletic trainers.

It is a shame to see student-athletes continue to test positive for banned substances due to a lack of information. By going to these two authoritative Web sites, student-athletes would benefit by protecting their health and safety, as well as preserving their eligibility.

Nicolette Sinclair is a soccer student-athlete at the University of South Carolina-Spartanburg and is the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative on the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports.