UIL adopts plan to suspend steroid users, By: R. A. Dyer
June 12, 2007
AUSTIN -- A Texas public high school athlete could be suspended for 30 days for a first-time positive test for steroids, a year for the second and be permanently banned from playing the remainder of his or her high school years under penalties adopted unanimously Monday by the University Interscholastic League's rule-making body.
During a meeting of the UIL's Legislative Council, the organization also agreed that first- or second-time offenders would have to submit a subsequent sample that tested negative for steroids before he or she could resume play. The student would have to pay for the subsequent test.
The new rules are the UIL's first step in figuring out how to implement the mandates of Senate Bill 8, which require mandatory random steroid testing in Texas high schools. The Legislature approved the bill this year, and Gov. Rick Perry is expected to sign it into law.
When signed, it will be the most extensive program of its kind in the nation.
"We will be testing a statistically significant number of students and we'll be doing that randomly," Assistant UIL director Charles Breithaupt said.
"We're stepping on ground that has not been plowed yet. There has been no one who had done such a comprehensive testing program for steroids."
Under SB 8, public high school athletes who want to compete in UIL-sanctioned events will be randomly tested for steroid use beginning with the 2007-08 school year. The bill set aside $3 million annually for testing.
UIL director Bill Farney has said the organization will begin requesting bids from private firms to operate the testing programs. He said the UIL wants an organization that will provide testing, analysis and ensures the randomness of the selection.
The UIL Legislative Council can decide to change the penalties and other details of implementation at its next meeting in October, Farney said. The organization may consider stiffer penalties, which would be more in line with penalties at the college level.
Farney warned that the Legislature has not signed off on long-term funding for the program and that school districts may eventually be required to bear the cost.
Between 22,000 to 25,000 of the 730,000 male and female student-athletes in all UIL sports grades 9-12 are expected to be tested randomly in the program, Farney said.
A 2006 Texas A&M study of 141,000 students in grades 7-12 found that steroid use dropped from 2 percent in 2004 to 1.5 percent in 2006.Only about 130 of the 1,300 public high schools in Texas currently test for steroids.
The UIL earlier named Cliff Odenwald, Plano school district's director of athletics since 2003, to oversee the statewide steroid testing and coordinate UIL athletic activities. While at Plano, Odenwald implemented district wide steroid education programs and was responsible for UIL rule compliance.
