De’Hashia Tonnek “DeeDee” Trotter offers a great contribution to the elimination of the rampant steroid use in sports. The Olympic track and field gold medalist founded the “Test Me, I’m Clean” campaign. This is a non-profit organization that aims to educate and inspire athletes of all ages on the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs. “We are dedicated to making a stand once and for all against dishonest athletes by encouraging athletes to stay clean while they strive for greatness. We wear Reminderbands as a representation of our dedication to a future of drug free sports and a healthy way of life,” said Trotter.

The Reminderbands are white rubber wristbands that bear the words, “Test Me, I’m Clean!” in bold black letters. They represent a message that many of today’s athletes claim to support but only few actually do anything to promote. Trotter as well as the organization’s members talk to athletes of all ages across the country on the adverse effects of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and also the benefits that one can experience on natural performance enhancement. Three principles are being promoted by the organization: hard work, honesty, and honor.

Trotter first wore her Reminderband at the 2007 World Championship in Osaka, Japan. From then on, it has been heard around the world. “It looks like I’ve started a trend on the track, and hopefully it will spread to other sports as well,” says Trotter. “I just wanted to say that these Reminderbands have been vital to the take off of my organization.”

On June 13, Trotter will bring her advocacy to Lucy Laney stadium for the AAU Track and Field District Meet. From 8 a.m. until noon, she is also scheduled to sign autographs and speak to young athletes who are participating in the meet. The “Test Me, I’m Clean” public campaign will surely help young athletes from using PEDs. Many athletes are quick to distance themselves with steroid use but only very few have even thought about keeping other athletes away from using it. The campaign was founded in 2006 with $10,000 of her own money. She hands out wristbands and T-shirts to support her cause.

This is considered as an excellent move by the athlete considering that she probably does not make one-tenth of the amount of money that big-time sports like Terrell Owens or Alex Rodriguez make. A lot of today’s superstar athletes will not make this kind of huge step for the community. Trotter has single-handedly backed a cause that desperately needed attention from somewhere other than commissioners and court hearings.

Trotter won the American (USATF) championship in the 400m in a personal best time of 49.64 in 2007. She also placed 5th in the 400 meters at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Trotter is also an NCAA champion and was the very first Tennessee Lady Vol to pursue a professional track and field career before finishing her collegiate eligibility. Trotter also ran in the women’s 400 meters race in the 2008 Summer Olympics but failed to qualify for the finals.

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