The Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) and the Canadian Center for Ethics in Sport (CCES) wants to prove that they are really determined in eradicating performance enhancing drugs in university football. They know that they have a lot of things to do so starting with an unannounced mandatory drug testing at Wilfrid Laurier University is a good start. Last Wednesday, football players from Wilfrid Laurier were called for an emergency meeting but they later found out that drug testers were waiting for them in the university’s training facility.

Officials from the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport collected 67 urine samples and 16 blood samples from the 90 Golden Hawks players present in the meeting. According to athletic director Peter Baxter, no one from the players present refused or admitted to taking steroids or other performance enhancing substances. He is confident that the result of the test will not put the university into bad limelight just like what happened to University of Waterloo. “I always believe our kids make good decisions. But I also understand we need a testing program to be a deterrent and to verify the kids are making the right decisions,” Baxter told the media.

The center already conducted a team wide drug testing last year on University of Waterloo football players because of the involvement of some of its player to distribution of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone. The results were alarming because several players tested positive for steroids and others admitted to taking steroids even before the mandatory test was conducted. Two of their players are still facing criminal charges. Another player tested positive for HGH, the first case in North America.

The CCES did not comment why the Wilfred Laurier football team was the first target of their mandatory testing. However, there’s one thing that is definite, the CCES will be conducting more mandatory tests in the succeeding months. They already informed other university athletic directors that the center will be conducting drug tests on their players anytime. According to CCES Director of Public Affairs Rosemary Pitfield, the testing at Wilfred Laurier is part of their aggressive anti-doping strategy. “Players can expect us anywhere, anytime,” she said.

Baxter is optimistic that none of his players will fail in the drug tests. “We’ll wait for the results but I can say our guys took it in stride. They co-operated and there was nothing abnormal.” He is also hoping that the steroid tests will dispel all chat-room rumors about their football players. “Wilfrid Laurier is committed to clean sport through testing and education,” Baxter added.

After the University of Waterloo scandal, the CIS and CCES will be working harder to combat drug use in college sports. This year, they plan to conduct more mandatory test which is estimated to reach at least 267 drug tests for football players. This is a better number compared to last year’s 89 football players tested for steroids.

Information campaign is also intensified in the junior level to university and college. Schools and universities in Ontario are also helping by educating their student athletes about the dangers of using performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids. Speakers from anti-steroid organizations such as the Taylor Hooton Foundation are also invited by these schools.

The mandatory drug testing is supported by athletic directors in Ontario. However, the CCES should be consistent in implementing its program and must conduct more steroid testing across the country to be more effective.

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