Pubdate: Tue, 23 Jan 2007
Source: Register-Herald, The (Beckley, WV)
Copyright: 2007 The Register-Herald
Contact:  http://www.register-herald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1441

TESTING

Drug Testing Should Be Required for State's Student Athletes

A proposal to require drug testing for student athletes  deserves support.

There's no disputing that drug problems in general have  become an 
increasing plague in West Virginia and in the  whole country.

Measures to stem the tide need to be considered,  especially in the 
sports arena.

Too many athletes have already made national headlines  for drug use, 
and those convicted have set a horrible  example.

Steroids have long been a troublesome issue, especially  as the bar 
of competition continues to rise and more  money is at stake.

It's easy to see how student athletes could succumb to  the pressure 
- -- not only from the sports world and  their peers, but from parents 
- -- to use  performance-enhancing drugs.

Sen. Clark Barnes, R-Randolph, used that argument  Monday as he 
introduced a bill that would require the  West Virginia Secondary 
School Activities Commission to  set up a mandatory drug screening program.

Under the terms outlined in the bill, any athlete would  be in 
violation for possessing, ingesting or otherwise  using drugs on a 
list of banned substances without a  written prescription from a 
licensed physician for the  treatment of medical conditions.

Before any student could take part in interscholastic  sports, they 
and a parent or guardian must agree in  writing to random, 
confidential testing. Any athlete  testing positive or refusing to be 
tested, or who  voluntarily reports a violation, will be ineligible 
to participate in an SSAC competition a full year from the  date of the test.

Eligibility wouldn't resume until the offending athlete  has 
undergone counseling and tests negative.

The measure says 60 percent of all tests will embrace  football, 
wrestling, track and field, swimming and  baseball. All other sports 
will fall into the 40  percent bracket. However, the testing as 
proposed is  limited to individuals or teams qualifying for state 
championship competition.

Although the costs are likely to be very prohibitive,  we'd like to 
see it extended to random tests at any  time.

Regardless, something needs to be put in place, and  hopefully, these 
stringent boundaries will be effective  in discouraging any student 
athlete from using drugs.

The desired results would be an athlete who could take  greater pride 
in his or her own abilities and skills  and a young person who has a 
healthier shot at success  outside the sports arena.

We can certainly champion both of those goals.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine