Recent increases in the number of NCAA championships and postseason bowl games, as well as expansion of existing championships' brackets, is resulting in drug testing of fewer student-athletes at specific events. The reduction ensures that testing occurs at least once every five years at every championship.

As a result, the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports has recommended an increase in the drug-testing budget for 2005-06 to keep pace with inflation. The group also reviewed projected costs of increasing testing from the current level of 1,500 student-athletes per year during its June 25-27 meeting in Key West, Florida.

The National Center for Drug Free Sport, which conducts testing of those 1,500 participants under a contract with the Association, reported to the committee that it is selecting fewer student-athletes at specific events for testing, to ensure that each of 88 current NCAA championships and 28 postseason bowl games is tested at least once within five years.

For example, after devising a testing plan for the 2003-04 championships consistent with that five-year commitment, Drug Free Sport determined it would have to dramatically decrease the number of student-athletes tested at each selected championship event, to remain within the limit of 1,500. It subsequently reduced the number of individual tests conducted at various championships in each division to remain within the limit.

The percentage of student-athletes participating in championships who are tested also has declined through the years. In 1992-93, about 14 percent of championships participants (about 3,000 of 21,000 participants) were tested; in 2001-02, about 3 percent (about 1,500 of 49,000 participants) were tested. Some believe the reduction in the percentage tested at championship events threatens to undermine the deterrent effect of NCAA drug testing.

Drug Free Sport has estimated it would cost about $300 per test to expand the number of tests from the current level of 1,500. A 500-test increase would cost about $150,000.

The information was received by CSMAS' drug-education and drug-testing subcommittee, one of two subgroups that met during the committee meeting.

Handbook guideline

The committee's other subgroup, the sports sciences safety subcommittee, approved a new guideline for inclusion in the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook addressing "catastrophic incidents."

The guideline recommends that NCAA member institutions develop their own Catastrophic Incident Guideline for providing information and support to family members, teammates, coaches and staff members following a catastrophe, which the guideline defines as "the sudden death of a student-athlete, coach or staff member from any cause, or a disabling and/or quality-of-life altering injury."

The guideline also recommends that an institutional plan include establishment of a management team, an action plan including a call list and initial steps, delineation of a chain of command and roles for involved individuals, and guidance in working with such authorities as law enforcement officers, or with officials at away contests.

The guideline will become the 32nd to be included in the handbook. Example policies based on the guideline can be found online at www.ncaa.org/health-safety.

Legislation

CSMAS also reviewed recently adopted Division I legislation for potential impact on institutional sports medicine staffs, based on the committee's ongoing concern about increasing demands on personnel that result from expanded medical coverage needs.

The committee cited three recently adopted legislative proposals that potentially will affect sports medicine staffs.

Proposal No. 03-139, which was adopted by the Division I Board of Directors as emergency legislation to provide medical expenses to student-athletes regardless of whether an injury or illness is athletics related, potentially will affect staffs as student-athletes initially report injuries or illnesses to sports medicine personnel.

Proposal 03-121, which permits a certified strength and conditioning coach to conduct conditioning workouts during an institution's vacation period, potentially will require the presence of sports medicine personnel during the workouts.

Also, similar demands potentially could result from the adoption of Proposal No. 03-86, which permits a strength and conditioning coach to conduct voluntary workout programs for prospective basketball student-athletes who either have signed a National Letter of Intent or been accepted for regular, full-time enrollment at an institution and are receiving financial aid to attend summer school.

CSMAS emphasized the need to take such demands into account during consideration of new rules and policies.

The committee also reviewed other recently adopted or proposed Division I legislation, and took the following actions: