The NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports is recommending a different sanction for student-athletes who test positive for street drugs than for those who test positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

The new proposal calls for a student-athlete who tests positive for a street drug to be withheld from 50 percent of competition in all sports for a first positive, a year for a second positive and permanent loss of eligibility for a third. Such a gradation is slightly different than penalties already in place for those testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, which call for a yearlong withholding from competition and a one-year loss of eligibility.

The proposed protocol for reinstatement for street-drug violations would include a negative NCAA exit test, documentation provided by the institution identifying the results of scheduled institutional drug tests during the withholding period, and documentation of an assessment and education or treatment plan conducted with the student-athlete.

Those testing positive for a street drug will have the right to appeal, but the option to reduce the penalty will not be available.

The committee believes the gradated penalty structure for street-drug positives puts the onus on the institution and the sports medicine team to show that the student-athlete is receiving help for their problem. Members feel the Association is better positioned to administer punishment, but institutions are better positioned to help their student-athletes by scheduling counseling and other possible treatments for street-drug abuse.

As for performance-enhancing drugs, the purpose for Association drug testing is to deter their use — thus the more severe penalty.

"People who are taking performance-enhancing drugs are cheaters," said Michael Krauss, the outgoing chair of CSMAS who will be leaving his position as a team physician at Purdue University at the end of August. "They are cheating themselves, they are cheating other institutions and they are cheating other athletes.

"In those cases, someone is making a conscious decision to try to beat the system. We think that deserves a severe penalty."

CSMAS members, who met last month in Sanibel, Florida, also want to redefine the drug class "street drugs" to include marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), heroin, opiates, cocaine and methamphetamine and to test for all banned substances in the year-round program. If approved, the target date for those changes would be August 2008.

Currently, cocaine and methamphetamine are classified in the stimulant category under performance-enhancing drugs. If the change takes place, they would be viewed in the street-drug category.

"I’ve always told our kids that if you are taking street drugs you are not helping yourself in any way," Krauss said. "You are hurting yourself both athletically and academically. We want to ferret that out early so these student-athletes can get treatment."

Other highlights of the CSMAS meeting included a recommendation to add a new class of substances called aromatase inhibitors to the NCAA list of banned-drug classes. If approved, the effective date will be August 2007.

"These are essentially drugs people have taken in the past that act as masking agents," Krauss said. "We want to put those on the list that lines up better with the United States Anti-Doping Agency."

The committee also amended appeals procedures because of concerns about lengthy delays between the time of a positive drug test and the completion of a drug test appeal. Institutions shall confirm their desire to appeal an NCAA positive drug test within two business days of notification and will provide all appeal documents within 45 days of the request. The institution will be provided a check list to identify required materials and signatures to proceed with the appeal.

CSMAS members also expressed concerns about reaction from the Division III Management Council and Presidents Council regarding a proposed two-year, year-round drug-testing pilot in Division III. The Presidents Council tabled the idea in April to study cost ramifications and to explore whether the issue could be addressed through educational programming instead of or in addition to some type of testing program. Both Councils will revisit the issue during their summer meetings.

The CSMAS also reiterated its support for the implementation of protective eyewear in field hockey. Members cited NCAA Injury Surveillance System data showing that 19 percent of all injuries in the sport occur to the head, with 65 percent of those injuries occurring when the ball becomes elevated.