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NCAA News Archive - 2007
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NCAA group seeks help with drug-testing demand
Competitive-safeguards committee addresses trend of reduced ‘repeat’ tests
The NCAA News
Competitive-safeguards committee addresses trend of reduced ‘repeat’ tests
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The NCAA News
The NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports is exploring ways to reverse a recent reduction in frequency of “repeat” drug testing at Division I institutions during the year-round testing program.
The NCAA annually conducts testing for anabolic agents at least once a year at every Division I institution and also at every Division II institution that sponsors football. Some institutions randomly are selected for testing two or more times annually.
More than half of all tests that are conducted annually during the year-round program involve football student-athletes. However, the committee noted that the percentage of Division I football programs that are tested more than once a year recently has decreased — due partly to an increase in Division I membership.
Since 1990, when year-round testing began in football, the number of Division I football-playing institutions has increased by 20 percent from 195 to 235. Another six institutions sponsoring football currently are reclassifying from Division II to Division I, and others either have announced plans or are studying a move into Division I.
Overall, Division I membership has increased from 298 to 326 institutions.
The committee is exploring at least three options for increasing repeat testing:
Reduce the number of tests conducted at institutions and reallocate savings to repeat testing. The committee believes that is the only way to increase repeat testing at current funding levels.
Request an inflation-based increase in the drug-testing budget.
Seek an increase in the drug-testing budget specifically to cover additional testing.
The committee asked the national office staff to gather trend information from the past 10 years for use in making decisions, including data from the 1997, 2001 and 2005 substance-use surveys; drug-testing data; sports participation numbers; and projected costs to conduct repeat testing at 15 percent of Division I institutions.
In a related area of concern, the committee noted that an increase in the number of football bowl games also has resulted in a decrease in the overall level of testing at those events.
Other testing issues
The committee also discussed various other issues involving drug testing during a December 14-16 meeting in Indianapolis, including a problem encountered last year during expansion of year-round testing into the summer months. Delays were experienced between notification and testing of some baseball student-athletes due to logistical issues.
The committee is seeking input from the collegiate baseball community and the membership about ways to address the issue.
In another action involving summer testing, the committee approved phasing in Division II football student-athletes beginning in summer 2007.
The committee will send a “drug testing issues” memorandum to NCAA member institutions in April, detailing any changes in the summer drug-testing plan and also reminding institutions of responsibilities in complying with drug-testing requirements. The memo also will include warnings about nutritional supplements and other points of emphasis for the coming year.
In another action related to drug testing, the committee will identify specific examples of “other masking agents” under the banned-drugs class diuretics. The list will include examples of those agents, including finasteride. Also, as a result of recent legislative action in all three divisions, the banned-drugs list now also includes a new class of drugs, anti-estrogens.
Tobacco education
Committee members reviewed data from the 2005 substance-use survey indicating an increase in the use of spit tobacco, and discussed possible reasons for the reversal from previous reporting of decreased use.
Increases were noted in baseball and football, and a high level of usage also was noted in ice hockey.
The committee discussed ways of renewing educational efforts targeting use of spit tobacco, and specifically agreed to study ways of enhancing efforts targeting student-athletes and coaches. Members also noted the importance of communicating through conference commissioners with game officials to reinforce enforcement of playing rules banning tobacco use.
In other actions during its December meeting involving health and safety issues, the committee also:
The NCAA annually conducts testing for anabolic agents at least once a year at every Division I institution and also at every Division II institution that sponsors football. Some institutions randomly are selected for testing two or more times annually.
More than half of all tests that are conducted annually during the year-round program involve football student-athletes. However, the committee noted that the percentage of Division I football programs that are tested more than once a year recently has decreased — due partly to an increase in Division I membership.
Since 1990, when year-round testing began in football, the number of Division I football-playing institutions has increased by 20 percent from 195 to 235. Another six institutions sponsoring football currently are reclassifying from Division II to Division I, and others either have announced plans or are studying a move into Division I.
Overall, Division I membership has increased from 298 to 326 institutions.
The committee is exploring at least three options for increasing repeat testing:
Reduce the number of tests conducted at institutions and reallocate savings to repeat testing. The committee believes that is the only way to increase repeat testing at current funding levels.
Request an inflation-based increase in the drug-testing budget.
Seek an increase in the drug-testing budget specifically to cover additional testing.
The committee asked the national office staff to gather trend information from the past 10 years for use in making decisions, including data from the 1997, 2001 and 2005 substance-use surveys; drug-testing data; sports participation numbers; and projected costs to conduct repeat testing at 15 percent of Division I institutions.
In a related area of concern, the committee noted that an increase in the number of football bowl games also has resulted in a decrease in the overall level of testing at those events.
Other testing issues
The committee also discussed various other issues involving drug testing during a December 14-16 meeting in Indianapolis, including a problem encountered last year during expansion of year-round testing into the summer months. Delays were experienced between notification and testing of some baseball student-athletes due to logistical issues.
The committee is seeking input from the collegiate baseball community and the membership about ways to address the issue.
In another action involving summer testing, the committee approved phasing in Division II football student-athletes beginning in summer 2007.
The committee will send a “drug testing issues” memorandum to NCAA member institutions in April, detailing any changes in the summer drug-testing plan and also reminding institutions of responsibilities in complying with drug-testing requirements. The memo also will include warnings about nutritional supplements and other points of emphasis for the coming year.
In another action related to drug testing, the committee will identify specific examples of “other masking agents” under the banned-drugs class diuretics. The list will include examples of those agents, including finasteride. Also, as a result of recent legislative action in all three divisions, the banned-drugs list now also includes a new class of drugs, anti-estrogens.
Tobacco education
Committee members reviewed data from the 2005 substance-use survey indicating an increase in the use of spit tobacco, and discussed possible reasons for the reversal from previous reporting of decreased use.
Increases were noted in baseball and football, and a high level of usage also was noted in ice hockey.
The committee discussed ways of renewing educational efforts targeting use of spit tobacco, and specifically agreed to study ways of enhancing efforts targeting student-athletes and coaches. Members also noted the importance of communicating through conference commissioners with game officials to reinforce enforcement of playing rules banning tobacco use.
In other actions during its December meeting involving health and safety issues, the committee also:
- Reviewed an NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee action to eliminate the December deadline for establishing a student-athlete’s weight class under the Weight Management Program and instead require a weight class to be established by February 1. Members also requested a review of whether current data support the change. The competitive-safeguards committee agreed to work with the National Wrestling Coaches Association (which is involved in administration of the program with the rules committee) to review two years of data for assessing compliance with the weight management program and its ability to consistently track wrestling student-athletes’ weight.
- Agreed to participate in a summit addressing sickle cell trait in athletes that will be sponsored by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association in February.
- Reviewed Injury Surveillance System (ISS) data for baseball, softball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, and men’s and women’s tennis:
- (1) In men’s tennis, the committee noted that 40 percent of reported game injuries were related to heat illnesses, but represented only five incidences in a sample of 12 schools. As a result, the sample size is too small to consider the data reliable at this time. The committee will continue monitoring the issue.
- (2) In women’s lacrosse, the committee noted that over the last two years, the ball did not create above-neck injuries in games but accounted for about 50 percent of practice injuries. The committee questioned why this might be occurring and whether players are wearing protective eyewear in practice as they are in games. The committee will continue to monitor the trend and consult with the lacrosse community.
- (3) In general, the committee will be tracking concussion rates for men’s lacrosse over time, head and face injuries in field hockey, and whether the addition of a 12th game has increased injury rates in Division I football.
- Full ISS reports and summary points of interest can be found on the NCAA Web site.
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