The steroid issues plagueing the professional sports can also affect the young athletes on how they would view steroids in helping them become professional players in the future. Although there are some states that already addressed this problem but it is also being questioned by critics. The usual issue of implementing any steroid testing programs is the cost involved. Some says that it is a waste of money and it does not deter students from taking any banned substance.

Another issue that schools officials and sports organization should address is on how they would manage testing programs and the implementation of policies on steroids. The NCAA for example has its own policies on steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. Even if they are testing their athletes they still have to provide recent statistics on the violations, if any, of the student athletes. Other high schools have also included in their student handbook guidelines and policies on drugs and alcohol abuse. Steroids are included in the banned list.

Let us take as an example the NCAA policy on their Drug Testing Program. These are excerpts from their manual. These policies serves as a guide to member schools and athletes under their supervision. The drug testing program is contained in section 30.5 of their manual.

section 30.5.1 states that each member institution is responsible for ensuring compliance with the following elements of the NCAA
Drug-Testing Program: (Adopted: 1/10/05)

(a) Complete and forward the drug-testing availability calendars to The National Center for Drug Free Sport by the date specified by the organization; (Adopted: 1/10/05)

(b) Respond to the initial drug-testing notification from The National Center for Drug Free Sport by the date specified by the organization; (Adopted: 1/10/05)

(c) Complete and forward to The National Center for Drug Free Sport a current and accurate institutional squad list (see Bylaw 30.14) by the date specified by the organization; (Adopted: 1/10/05)

(d) Provide adequate and secure drug-testing facilities as specified by The National Center for Drug Free Sport; (Adopted: 1/10/05)

(e) Notify student-athletes who have been randomly selected for drug testing according to the timeline specified by The National Center for Drug Free Sport; and (Adopted: 1/10/05)

(f) Respond to additional requests for assistance in administering the NCAA year-round drug-testing program as specified by The National Center for Drug Free Sport. (Adopted: 1/10/05)

30.5.1.1 Effect of Violations. Violations of Bylaw 30.5.1 shall be considered institutional violations per Constitution 2.8.1, however, such violations shall not affect the student-athlete’s eligibility. (Adopted: 4/29/04)

30.5.2 Drug-Testing Consent Form. The following procedures shall be used in administering the drug-testing consent form required in Bylaw 14.1.4 (see Constitution 3.2.4.6): (Adopted: 1/10/92 effective 8/1/92; Re-vised: 1/8/01, 1/10/05)

(a) The consent form shall be administered individually to each student-athlete by the director of athletics or the director of athletics’ designee each academic year;

(b) The director of athletics or the director of athletics’ designee shall disseminate the list of banned drug classes to all student-athletes and educate them about products that might contain banned drugs. All student-athletes are to be notified that the list may change during the academic year and that updates may be found on the NCAA Web site (i.e., www.ncaa.org) and are to be informed of the appropriate athletics department procedures for disseminating updates to the list; and

(c) The consent forms shall be kept on file by the director of athletics and shall be available for examination on request by an authorized representative of the NCAA.

30.5.2.1 Effect of Violations. Violations of Bylaw 30.5.2 shall be considered institutional violations per Constitution 2.8.1; however, such violations shall not affect the student-athlete’s eligibility. (Revised: 1/10/05)

However at the school level, they can develop their own policies based on these guidelines. That would mean variations on the implementation. Another problem in the NCAA policy is the random testing conducted on the student athletes. It may not give the actual extent of users of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs.

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