Wartburg College athletes will now be subject to random drug tests.
Beginning this fall, all athletes could be tested for numerous drugs, including anabolic steroids.
“We’re really just trying to be proactive with what’s going to happen nationally in this area,” Rick Willis, athletic director, said. “Our intent is not to see if we can catch some people doing something wrong, rather it’s to educate and to help.”
Willis also said that testing is not being initiated because of a problem at Wartburg.
“This isn’t something that Wartburg College is doing because there is some perception of a problem,” Willis said.
“It’s an issue nationwide, and it’s something we’re just trying to address and stay on top of.”
Graphic by Kate WestergardEven though the policy is remedial, a positive test would carry stiff penalties.
According to the drug policy, the first positive would result in a suspension for 10 percent of the season. A second positive would carry a suspension of at least 12 months. If any athlete tests positive three times, he or she would be suspended permanently. Penalties will also include education and counseling.
Students will be tested for five different classes of drugs. The classes are stimulants, anabolics, diuretics, street drugs and peptide hormones.
The NCAA does not have a mandatory drug testing policy in div. III. However, Luther, Simpson, and Dubuque test their athletes. Buena Vista and Central plan to begin testing this year.
Luther has been testing since 1995, and Luther’s penalties compare to those Wartburg has in place. Simpson has been testing since 1998, and one positive test at Simpson results in a suspension for one year.
At Wartburg, two different ways of testing exist. According to the drug test policy that all athletes received this summer, athletes can be tested randomly or if they are suspected of drug abuse. Officials may require testing if an athlete exhibits a significant decline in academic or athletic performance, misses class, loses or gains significant weight or falls asleep in class.
Willis said that reasonable suspicion has to “be fairly concrete, not just hearsay.”
People from every sport could be tested to help get an accurate cross-section of athletes.
Tim Koberna, head athletic trainer, said he will collect specimens, but Drug Free Sport, the company with which Wartburg formed a partnership, will actually select the athletes.
“Drug Free Sport will go ahead and randomly select the student-athlete,” Koberna said. “I will then be informed of the student-athletes who are being selected for the testing.”
A specimen will be collected and sent to a regional lab for testing. However, if anabolic steroids are suspected, the sample will be sent to UCLA.
The drug policy states that athletes may request rehabilitation without penalty. The provision is called the “Safe Harbor Program.” An athlete may refer himself or herself to the program for voluntary evaluation and counseling. The athlete spends 30 days in the program, where a positive test would not result in any suspension.
At press time, no testing had been conducted, but Willis and Koberna anticipate the tests will be conducted soon.