Drug Testing

Drug Testing in Sports



Chapter 17

Pharmacology

Drug Abuse in Sports



The history of taking drugs to improve

performance dates back to World War II

when German soldiers were given

steroids to increase their strength and

aggression.

Athletes take drugs







By purpose Accidentally





Self-Administration Quacks





Couch Advice Doctors Paramed

What is Drug Testing?

Drug testing generically refers to the

analysis of bodily tissues or fluids to

determine the presence and/or

concentration of a particular

substance

 Drug Testing vs. Drug Screening

• Drug Screening is the qualitative analysis of body

tissue or fluid to broadly determine the presence of

particular substances

• Drug Testing in the most precise sense refers to

quantitative analysis of bodily tissues or fluids to

determine concentrations of particular substances

History of Drug Testing

 First drug testing was for alcohol during prohibition

 Another early use of drug testing was in sports

First used to detect if horses were being given morphine

thought to be a performance enhancer

Human athletes were being tested by the 1960’s

 The military began testing during the Vietnam war.

However systematic testing did not begin until the

1980’s

 Private industry began drug testing of employees in

the 1980’s

Practice became widespread following Executive Order

#12564, by President Reagan, establishing Drug Free

Work Place

Examples of Athletes using

drugs

Ben Johnson:

The American 100-meter gold medal winner was

disqualified in Seoul Olympics 1988 due to

Stanozolol abuse. Then lifetime ban in 1993 due to

Testosterone abuse.

Examples of Athletes using

drugs

Ronnie O'Sullivan:

The British snooker player has forfeited

prize money of $100,000 after a positive

test for cannabis.

Examples of Athletes using

drugs

Dieter Binus:

Accused of causing bodily harm to

female East German swimmers by

giving them anabolic steroids.

Effectiveness of Drug Testing

 Difficult to evaluate effectiveness because of

multiplicity of goals of drug testing:

Identification of drug users in an organization

Deterrence of drug use

Improvement of worker morale

Increased productivity

Decreased workplace accidents

Overall cost-effectiveness

Controversies Surrounding Drug

Testing

 Reliability of Drug Testing

Great potential for false positives, particularly on

EMIT

Most drug tests do not measure current level of drug

use/impairment

 Constitutionality of Drug Testing

Violation of Fourth Amendment protections?

Violation of Fifth Amendment protections?

Violation of Fourteenth Amendment protections?

Drug Testing



NCAA goals of drug testing programs:

Promote fair and equitable competition

Compete on a “level playing field”

No athlete should feel pressured to consume drugs

to have a chance to win

Safeguard the health and safety of athletes by

discouraging drug use through testing

Hope of athletes using drugs to be caught so they

can be counseled and receive treatment

What is being testing during a drug

test?

A list of banned drugs have been

established by NCAA and an Olympic

Committee.

These lists are composed of substances that

are generally reported to be performance

enhancing and/or potentially harmful to the

health and safety of the student athlete

Selection of Athlete



Random selection of athlete by sport

Random selection of athlete by position

Random selection of athlete by playing

time or finish position

Random selection of athlete by financial

aid status

Random timing-no notice

Reasonable suspicion

Methods of Drug Testing

 Breath tests

 Used exclusively for alcohol

 Least invasive

 Blood, urine, saliva test

 Testing of these 3 body fluids involves same basic

technology

 Problems identified with all 3

 Hair analysis

 Can preserve record of drug use for an indefinite

period of time

 Also because of the way hair grows, can determine

approximately when drugs were taken (within

about a month)

 More precise determination, however, is not

possible

Drug Testing Methods

 Urinalysis is most common method

 Enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique

(EMIT):

Light absorption to establish level of drugs present in

urine

 Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-

MS):

EMIT positive tests must be followed up by GC-MS

Separates compounds in urine and developing

fingerprints for each compound.

Drug Testing Methods Cont.



Athletes will be observed by a drug testing

crew member of the same gender

Length of collection process depends on

the athlete’s ability to provide adequate

specimen

Entire process is usually completed in 20 mins.

Can large amt. of fluids mask drug

test?

NO!!

NCAA requires athlete’s urine sample to

be analyzed on site before sending to

lab

Diluted specimen- athlete will be

required to remain in drug testing until

an adequate specimen is collected

NFL Drug Testing



NFL tests for recreational drugs

Athletes given specified date and plenty of

advanced warning

Positive tests athlete is given a second chance

before suspension

League treats recreational drug use as a

medical issue and wants to get athlete help

NFL Drug Testing Cont.



Steroid Testing

Random testing given each week

Computer randomly selects the athlete

1st positive test, athlete suspended for four games

2nd positive test, suspended for six games

3rd positive test, suspended for at least one year

NFL Drug Testing Cont.



Testing for masking agents

If athlete tries to pass a drug test using these

agents, they are suspended, even if a steroid is

not detected

NBA Drug Testing



Notification during practice on the day of

testing that they must provide a urine

sample

Everyone will be tested at least once during the

four week preseason…

rookies will be tested three more times, randomly and

without notification each season

Veterans will be tested during preseason only

NBA Positive Testing Results



Positive tests for cocaine, heroin or other

“hard drugs” will be barred from the NBA

for two years

Positive tests for marijuana will go into a

treatment program after the first offense

2nd offense they will be fined

Additional offenses will lead to more fines and

subsequent suspension

MLB Drug Testing



Players undergo two unannounced test

An initial test and a follow-up five to seven days

later

Failing to take test counts as a positive test, as

will attempting to alter a specimen or using a

masking agent

Banned substances are those listed by the FDA

Includes 27 types of steroids

High School Drug Testing



Consent form must be signed by athlete

and parent/guardian prior to season

If athlete refuses they may not participate that

season

Incoming athletes during a season must sign

consent before participating

High School Cont.

Drug Testing:

Done without prior warning to student

Positive tests-Medical Review Officer must

contact parents/guardian and school admin.

This results in immediate dismissal from team

• If not currently participating in sport, then the student

shall be required to miss the entire season for the next

sport in which the student normally participates in.

Required to undergo drug counseling

2nd violation-permanently prohibited from

participating in sports