This Full Issue

First quarter, 2009
on the road again
FRANKLY SPEAKING
Will we be in your area?
Contact us to schedule an
educational session.
Bridgewater State College
Bridgewater, Mass.
District 5 NATA Meeting
Omaha, Neb.
March 24
March 27-28
Indiana University
Bloomington, Ind.
Big 12 Sports Medicine Meeting
Dallas, Tex.
April 1
May 7-8
Drug Free Sport™ Believes
•Testing is a necessary and effective
drug-use prevention tool to develop athletes
who are committed to success on and off the
field.
•Athletics participation is a privilege, and
athletes cannot be allowed to abuse drugs at
their expense, the expense of their teammates
or at the expense of their sport.
•Research shows that most athletes are
drug free. Therefore, we will at all times treat
athletes with dignity and respect, and above
all else, protect their privacy.
•Strong relationships with certified, ethical
sports drug-testing laboratories and collectors
benefit our clients’ drug-testing programs.
•Sports organizations differ in their
philosophies on how to deter drug use. We
support an organization’s right to conduct its
programs according to its principles and
objectives.
•Not every sports organization shares our
values, and we will not compromise what we
believe in the name of increasing the bottom
line.
The National Center for
Drug Free Sport®
2537 Madison Ave.
Kansas City, Mo. 64108
816/474-8655
www.drugfreesport.com
BY FRANK URYAsZ, PREsIDENT, DRUG FREE SPORT™
Gold-standard accreditation is key with lab partnerships
Drug Free Sport has strategic partnerships that enable us to provide comprehensive services to our sports clients. The partnerships we have with our certified testing
laboratories are central to our mission. We contract exclusively with
certified laboratories that can provide clients with the highest quality
and the most sophisticated science and technology available for the
detection of drugs and other substances used by athletes. Drug Free
Sport’s anabolic-steroid testing takes place only at the select goldstandard laboratories accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency
(WADA).
In the next few issues of Insight, we are highlighting our partner
laboratories, starting with the newest -- the Sports Medicine Research
& Testing Laboratory. The United States was badly in need of another WADA laboratory and Drug Free Sport began working with SMRTL shortly after it
received WADA accreditation.
Readers of Frankly Speaking have heard over and over why sports organizations
must align only with those labs that are committed to drug-free sport. I believe this is
even more necessary as laboratories, looking for business to replace the diminishing
workplace drug-testing market, claim that they can provide the same services as the
WADA laboratories. They can’t and they don’t.
Many of Drug Free Sport’s clients have made a renewed commitment to drugtesting research. This will allow our laboratories to remain at the top of their game
and to help us stay competitive with those who will do anything to win. The program is The Partnership for Clean Competition and you can learn more about it at:
www.cleancompetition.org.
At the NCAA Convention in January, a conference commissioner mentioned to me
how much he values the information in Insight. I appreciated hearing this and the
comment caused me to think about the permanence of the publication.
Insight started as a monthly publication in October 2001. In 2004, we expanded
its content and began a quarterly publication. I don’t know the lifespan of the average newsletter, but I can think of quite a few I used to receive that ran out of steam
and disappeared. You can find nine years of Insight online at:
www.drugfreesport.com/newsroom/newsroom.asp
Speaking of the NCAA Convention, Drug Free Sport once again participated in the
Convention trade show. We decided to conduct a giveaway – yes, the kind where one
throws his business card into the bowl and hopes to win a prize.
Having thrown more than my share of cards into bowls over the years, I must admit
that I am dubious that anyone ever wins these. However, our staff assured me that
our process would be above reproach. So, in the spirit of transparency, we announce
that Teelah Grimes from Dowling College won the Garmin Nuvi device and that, thanks
to Drug Free Sport, she always finds her way.
NCAA NEWs
Medical exceptions for ADHD stimulants will require
more documentation beginning August 1st
Effective August 1, 2009, the NCAA
will begin requiring stricter documentation
procedures for studentathletes seeking a
medical exception to
allow the regular use
of a medication that
contains a banned
substance.
Drug Free Sport and the NCAA have
worked together to prepare resources that
are intended to help institutions and their
sports medicine staffs prepare for a stricter
application of the medical-exception policy and in the process, become better equipped
to monitor the health of student-athletes
who are being treated for Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Stimulant medications commonly
prescribed to treat ADHD, such as Adderall
and Ritalin, are among banned substances
for which a medical exception for a positive
drug test may be granted, provided a
student-athlete’s institution presents
documentation that those substances
have been prescribed by a physician and
is supported by a clinical assessment for
educational or health reasons.
In order to process a medical exception
for a banned stimulant, an institution must
be prepared to submit documentation at the
time of confirmation of a positive drug test.
Otherwise, the institution will have to submit
an appeal for the positive test.
Under the stricter application of
medical exceptions, documentation for
stimulants prescribed to treat ADHD must
include evidence that the student-athlete
has undergone a clinical assessment to
diagnose the disorder, is being monitored
routinely for use of the stimulant
medication, and has a current prescription
on file.
The NCAA Web site offers such aids as
a list of criteria to include in the reporting
physician’s submission and a sample
evaluation format for a clinical assessment
for ADHD.
“We increasingly have been receiving
requests for medical exceptions that do
not contain a lot of historical treatment
information, nor do they contain
documentation of a formal assessment,”
said Mary Wilfert, NCAA associate director
of educational affairs.
“There may be an underlying medical
issue, such as depression, that hasn’t been
identified through a formal assessment,”
Wilfert said. “The concern is that a studentathlete may not be treated appropriately for
the condition.”
The NCAA bans stimulants not only
because they may enhance athletic
performance, but because they pose a
health risk by potentially contributing to heat
illness or placing stress on the heart.
have provided documentation of a clinical
assessment.
“Sports medicine staffs will play a
very important role,” Wilfert said. “They’ll
be the first line of defense, if you will, by
checking with student-athletes during
pre-participation exams to ensure they’ve
got all the information they will need
about any medications – particularly
about medications on the NCAA banned
substances list. In the latter case, they’ll
have the student-athlete gather the
documentation from their prescribing
physician.”
In situations where the student-athlete
has not received a clinical assessment,
ADHD has been
reported to affect
approximately 5
percent of the United
States population, and
as adults increasingly
are being diagnosed
with the disorder, more
college students – not
just student-athletes
– are using prescribed
medications.
However, with more
of these medications
present on campuses,
they sometimes may be obtained by
students who do not have a prescription,
or prescribed without fully investigating
whether students are affected by other
disorders that may co-exist with ADHD.
Wilfert acknowledged that some may be
reluctant to reveal they are being treated
for ADHD, but noted that schools can
reassure student-athletes that they need
the information only for two reasons – to
safeguard the student-athlete’s health and
to be prepared to respond to a positive
NCAA drug test.
Both current and prospective studentathletes should be advised of the stricter
application of the medical-exceptions policy.
The stricter policy will apply even to studentathletes who received a medical exception
before August 1, 2009, and who may not
sports medicine personnel can advise the
student-athlete to obtain a referral to a
specialist from a personal physician, or refer
the student-athlete to local specialists – a
campus counseling and testing program,
student support services or a community
mental health program -- who are trained to
test for and assess ADHD.
“It’s an important role for sports
medicine staffs – to make sure they’re
telling student-athletes how important
it is to inform them you are using these
medications, and then making sure to get
the right documentation,” Wilfert said.
NCAA student-athletes and athletics
staffs can use Drug Free Sport’s Resource
Exchange Center (www.drugfreesport.
com/rec) to learn whether a medication is
banned.
NEWs
Monthly drug-testing tip “UrineFormed” benefits institutional clients
In January, the collegiate drugtesting department of Drug Free Sport
launched UrineFormed, a new monthly
email tip exclusively for institutional
clients.
Kathy Turpin, Drug
Free Sport’s director
of collegiate drug
testing (right), said
UrineFormed was
developed as another
service feature for the
department’s 200-plus
clients.
“In addition to our consultation with
institutional clients in the areas of
policy, random selections and results
management, UrineFormed delivers
timely reminders and helpful tips each
month to give program administrators
even more tools to help maintain a drugfree environment,” said Turpin.
For information on institutional drug
testing, visit www.drugfreesport.com.
News Briefs
Sports, Cardiovascular
and Wellness Nutrition
(SCAN) Symposium presents
“The Seven Wonders of
Wellness”
Are you looking to get
away and soak in some
warm breezes and sunshine?
Could you also use some
valuable education credits
with the American Dietetic
Association (ADA), American
College of Sports Medicine
(ACSM), National Athletic
Trainers Association (NATA)
or National Commission for
Health Education Credentialing (CHES)?
Accomplish both at the
SCAN Symposium, April
16-19, in sunny Scottsdale,
Arizona. It’s the perfect
wellness opportunity for both
your mind and body.
Nutrition and health
experts from around the
country will be presenting on
topics ranging from wellness,
alcohol, inflammation and heart health
to sports nutrition and weight management.
“The Seven Wonders of Wellness” is
the theme for this year’s SCAN Symposium. SCAN is a dietetic practice group
of the American Dietetic Association.
Don’t miss this opportunity to get
up to speed on the latest research and
practical applications in science and
wellness. Visit www.scandpg.org to
register and view the agenda. For more
information, contact Kimberly LaBounty
at (630) 617-5153.
Are you doing enough to educate
your athletes and coaches about drugs
in sport?
Drug Free Sport’s bureau of educational speakers give presentations
nationwide to athletes, coaches and
administrators who need the most up-todate information on banned substances
and drug-testing practices.
The power of hearing a live speaker
cannot be underestimated. Drug Free
Sport speakers qualify for NCAA grant
money ($500) for NCAA member institutions that apply for assistance. Visit
www.drugfreesport.com to learn more
about our expert speakers.
All labs are not created equal:
Spotlight on the Sports Medicine &
Research Testing Laboratory
SALT LAKE LAb JOINs ELITE GROUP
TEsTING fOR ANAbOLIc STEROIDs
Unknown to most people in Salt Lake
City, a company that touches the lives of
thousands of athletes sits in a research
park near the University of Utah. While its
staff never meets the athletes, they test
samples from amateur to professional
athletes to determine if any are competing
with the benefit of performance-enhancing drugs commonly known as anabolic
steroids.
The Sports Medicine Research and
Testing Laboratory in Salt Lake City analyzes samples from athletes competing at
all levels. SMRTL (pronounced like turtle)
carries the distinction of being one of only
two labs in the United States accredited
at the highest industry standard that conduct tests for anabolic steroids on urine
samples from athletes.
What makes SMRTL and a similar
lab at the University of California, Los
Angeles distinctive is their accreditation
by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA),
the international agency whose purpose
is twofold: to promote health, fairness
and equality for athletes worldwide; and
to ensure harmonized, coordinated and
effective anti-doping programs with regard
to detection, deterrence
and prevention of doping.
Only 34 labs are accredited worldwide by the
agency.
John Valiante, SMRTL
chief executive officer
(right), said the University
of Utah was approached following its experience with steroid testing for the 2002
Winter Olympics in Salt Lake and because
of the expertise of the university’s Center
for Human Toxicology. Instrumental in the
lab’s development was Dr. Doug Rollins, a
former director of Utah’s Human Toxicology Center and the doping control officer
at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake.
Until recently, Rollins was executive director of SMRTL.
by Sally Huggins
Insight Contributor
scientific backgrounds for the testing and
analysis required.
“It’s a very involved process to get certified by WADA and to retain certification,”
Valiante said. “It’s ongoing. We have to
update procedures, there are site visits by
the agency, and they conduct random testing of our process.”
“Several of our staff
members were involved with
the 2002 Olympics although
SMRTL did not exist then,”
Valiante said.
The World Anti-Doping
Agency is very selective in
whom it accredits. A lab
does not decide to seek
accreditation so much as
WADA decides it needs
another accredited lab and
searches for one.
“That’s why we were
created. There was a feeling
that dealing with just one
lab in the U.S. didn’t give
clients enough choices,”
Valiante said.
The University of Utah
established the lab over a
three-year period. During
that time, SMRTL’s staff of
24 was hired and trained,
the facility was constructed
and equipped, and the
complex WADA certification
process was completed.
The majority of the staff has
Stacy Smeal, Ph.D., analyzes blood samples at the Sports
Medicine & Research Testing Laboratory (SMRTL) in Salt Lake
City, Utah. Smeal serves as SMRTL’s director of analytical
services.
What is the significance of the WADA
certification?
It means that an independent organization is evaluating the quality of the lab’s
testing. “It assures a very, very high quality,” Valiante said.
It also indicates that the lab is constantly adding new tests as they are developed
and not simply continuing with the same
testing. As human growth hormone (hGH)
has become a significant issue in sports,
a test for this protein has been added.
SMRTL must remain current with research
so that its tests are cutting edge for whatever performance-enhancing substances
athletes may be using. Recently, SMRTL’s
lab director, Jonathan Danaceau, Ph.D.,
participated in a conference in Germany
with directors from labs around the world
to gather and exchange information on
new trends and drugs.
The World Anti-Doping Agency was
founded in 1999 after a scandal during
the 1998 Tour de France involving doping. The International Olympic Committee
convened a world conference involving the
various parties fighting the doping problem
in competitive sports. The outcome was
a mandate to create the agency in time
for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney,
Australia.
Since SMRTL’s accreditation in 2006,
the lab has operated independently of the
university. The independence gives the lab
several advantages, Valiante said. It can
focus exclusively on its customers needs
and is not distracted by other university
obligations. The independence also allows
for greater flexibility in staffing to adjust to
client needs, and the lab can move quickly
when short turnarounds are needed during
championships.
SMRTL follows the WADA guidelines for
turnaround of results. Those guidelines
recommend a 10-day turnaround unless
the lab has made other
specific arrangements
with a client. There are
times where a client must
have the results faster
and SMRTL does its best
to accommodate them,
Kim Monti (right), director
of finance and development at SMRTL, said.
Security and confidentiality are both big
concerns for the lab.
“In general
we follow what I
would term good
forensic practices,”
Monti said. “This
involves ensuring samples are
sealed when
collected and are
still sealed upon
receipt, and ensuring there is an
intact chain-of-custody documenting
anyone that was
in possession of
the sample. We
maintain laboraJane Lovsted is one of 24 staff members at SMRTL, one of only two
tory security by
laboratories in the United States accredited by the World Anti-Doping
limiting access to
Agency (WADA).
both the business
in general and specific areas within the lab the International Cycling Union which has
through the use of electronically coded key adopted a passport program where they
cards.”
are collecting long-term blood profiles on
their athletes.
While SMRTL conducts tests on
samples from thousands of athletes, its
Testing is conducted on urine samples
collected from athletes by SMRTL’s clients.
clients to date are few. Among them is The
National Center for Drug Free Sport, which
The lab is not involved in the collection
has contracted with the lab to conduct
process. When samples are received, they
tests on NCAA Division III athletes as one
are anonymous. The lab has no idea which
part of a pilot program.
athlete provided which sample. When testing is completed, the results are forwarded
“We were asked to oversee the lab
to the client (for example, Drug Free Sport),
analysis for the pilot program set up
which in turn dispenses results to athletes
by Drug Free Sport with 80 Division III
or governing bodies.
schools. It is more of a survey. We are not
looking at individual athletes but evaluat“We handle their lab work but they
ing the samples for use of drugs at the
manage their clients,” she said.
Division III level to see if or what this group
A college may or may not contract
of student-athletes may be using. We are
directly with SMRTL because the type of
in the second year of that study and will
testing it provides is complex and expenfinish our work this spring. Drug Free Sport
sive. When universities routinely test their
will then report the findings to the NCAA,”
athletes for drug use, they are testing for
Valiante said.
street drugs such as marijuana or cocaine,
The lab handles a variety of clients in
which is a more economical type of testing.
professional sports, amateur sports and
SMRTL’s clients are athletic organicollegiate sports but does not work directly
zations that test athletes at championwith colleges or athletes, said Monti.
ship events for performance-enhancing
substances. While Research Park in Salt
“We handle a variety of clients and
the type of client determines the testing
Lake City may not see much in the way of
athletic competition, with SMRTL it plays a
required,” she said. “For each client, we
narrow the testing to their specific needs.”
key role in ensuring fair game for thousands of athletes competing across the
The vast majority of SMRTL’s testing
United States and around the world.
involves urine specimens, but the lab
is accredited to test blood for human
In our next issue of Insight, we will
growth hormone (hGH). SMRTL also is
profile the testing lab at UCLA, which is
accredited to perform blood parameters
the oldest WADA-certified lab in the United
testing, which it does for clients such as
States.
Insight DEPARTmENTs
DRUG FREE SPORT TOP 5
Top 5 anabolic steroids
found by drug testing
student-athletes
Although there are many compounds
that fall under the anabolic steroid ban in
sport, most positive results in the college
ranks are for these five steroids:
1. Testosterone
The principal male hormone that
stimulates the development of the male
secondary sex characteristics. Two
commonly used dietary supplements,
androstenedione and androstenediol
(which also are banned by the NCAA)
convert into testosterone, causing
a positive drug test result. Sexual
performance enhancers, marketed to
increase testosterone levels, also
may lead to a positive drug test.
Synthetic testosterone use is detected
in urine indirectly by using either the
testosterone to epitestosterone ratio (T:
E greater than 6:1 is considered positive)
or directly through Isotope Ration
Mass Spectrometry (IRMS). If the total
concentration of testosterone to that of
epitestosterone in the urine is greater than
6:1, the NCAA will deem it a positive drug
test result.
2. Nandrolone
An anabolic steroid, which may occur
naturally in the human body, but only
in very tiny quantities. It is similar in
structure to testosterone and has many of
the same effects.
Clinical studies have shown nandrolone
to be effective in treating anemia,
Synthetic testosterone
can enter the body a number
of ways including injection,
transdermal patches, gels and
oral administration.
is a close derivative of testosterone.
Boldenone was developed for veterinary
use, mostly for treatment in horses. It is
not indicated for use in humans in the
United States and is only available through
veterinary clinics. It has a very long halflife, and can show up on a steroid test for
up to 18 months.
4. Stanozolol
A synthetic anabolic steroid related to
the male hormone testosterone and has
been approved for human use. Stanozolol
was developed in 1962 and is commonly
sold under the name Winstrol.
In humans, stanozolol has been
demonstrated to be successful in treating
anemia and hereditary angioedema.
Veterinarians may prescribe stanozolol
to improve muscle growth, red blood cell
production, increase bone density and
stimulate the appetite of debilitated or
weakened animals.
Marketed to athletes to increase
muscle mass and strength. Can be
injected or taken in tablet form. Also
known as “Winny-V.” Stanozolol is easily
detected in urine.
5. Androstenedione
osteoporosis and some forms of
neoplasia including breast cancer,
and also acts as a progestin-based
contraceptive. It also has been used
on hospital patients to increase
weight gain after weight loss following
extensive surgery, chronic infection or
severe trauma.
Nandrolone received FDA
approval in 1983. Side-effects can
include erectile dysfunction and
cardiovascular damage.
3. Boldenone
A synthetically manufactured
anabolic steroid known under the
trade names Equipoise, Ganabol,
Equigan and Ultragan. Structurally, it
Androstenedione was manufactured as
a dietary supplement, often called “andro.”
On April 11, 2004, the United States
Food and Drug Administration banned
the sale of Andro, citing that the drug
poses significant health risks commonly
associated with steroids.
While we all know that anabolic steroids
can be illegally purchased on their own
and administered by injection or orally by
mouth, it is very important to note that
many of these substances can and have
been detected in over-the-counter dietary
supplement products bought over the
internet. These too are anabolic steroids
and are illegal as well.
Contact the Resource Exchange
Center (REC) with questions you have
about these and any other substances:
www.drugfreesport.com/rec.
HIGh SchOOL NEWs
Illinois High School Association drug test policy
appears successful, official says
Some professional athletes may
be bad role models for their use of
performanceenhancing
substances,
but there are
signs that the
Illinois High School Association’s new
drug-testing program has been successful
in discouraging such behavior among
teens.
None of the 264 students statewide
who went through the random testing
program in the fall were found to be
violating the association’s policies, said
Kurt Gibson, an IHSA assistant executive
director.
The IHSA has turned to Drug Free
Sport to provide program administration,
laboratory analysis, results management,
consultation and collection services.
Six students tested positive for
stimulants or
anabolic steroids,
but they were
granted medical
exceptions and
weren’t punished.
Investigations
determined that
banned chemicals
showed up in
those athletes’
urine because
of prescription
medications they
were taking for
legitimate health
conditions, Gibson said.
He wasn’t surprised by the lack of
violations. Illinois last year became one
of only three states to do drug testing.
“The purpose of our program has been
to serve as a deterrent,” said Gibson.
“From feedback we received in the fall
from parents and coaches, people were
taking the program seriously.”
Chris Nordby, Drug Free Sport’s
director of high school drug testing
(right), agrees with Gibson that a lack of
violations is a sign of the
deterrent effect of the
program.
“The IHSA has
implemented a quality
drug education and
testing program that
provides a great reason
for kids to say no when
tempted to take these dangerous and
often illegal substances,” Nordby said.
Especially at the high school level, it
should be clear to athletes, parents and
coaches that sports “are an extension of
the classroom,” Gibson said. “It shouldn’t
be about the scholarship or going to the
pros.”
The drug-testing program backs up
that philosophy, as do handouts and
AsK ThE EXPERTs
Supplements and the FDA
Q. I’ve read news reports saying that the
FDA has found some supplements to be
laced with drugs. Doesn’t the FDA analyze
supplements before they go out on the
market to consumers?
A. The United States Food & Drug
Administration (FDA) does analyze dietary
supplements, but in limited capacity.
First, public health emergencies and
products that may have caused injury or
illness are analyzed.
Next, the FDA analyzes products thought
to be unsafe, deceptive or in violation of
the law.
Lastly, they conduct routine monitoring
of products pulled from store shelves
or collected during inspections of
manufacturing plants.
The FDA does not analyze dietary
supplements before they are sold to
consumers.
The responsibility for ensuring that
the “Supplement Facts” label and
ingredient list are accurate, that the dietary
ingredients are safe, and that the content
matches the amount declared on the label
all fall to the supplement manufacturer.
Unfortunately, not every company does as
much as they should to ensure accuracy
and safety.
other materials IHSA has made available,
Gibson said.
The FDA also does not analyze dietary
supplements sent in by consumers who
want to know if the product is safe.
“I think as time goes on, more states
will look to implement a program,” he
said.
Q. So how can consumers inform
themselves about safety and other issues
related to dietary supplements?
For more information on the IHSA
program, or other performanceenhancing drug-testing programs, go to
www.drugfreesport.com.
A. Contact the Resource Exchange
Center (REC) at 877-202-0769 or online at
www.drugfreesport.com. Also visit the FDA
Web site to stay up-to-date on recalls and
problematic products at www.fda.gov.
‘09 NCAA Regional Rules Seminars:
Insight’s green initiative:
Experts from Drug Free Sport along
with NCAA Health and Safety staff will
be presenting educational sessions
at the upcoming 2009 NCAA Regional
Rules Seminars taking place May
11-15 in Atlanta, Ga., and June 1-5 in
Anaheim, Calif.
Are you one of the many Insight
readers who check out our online
version at
drugfreesport.
com? Or maybe
you weren’t
aware of the
electronic
version of this
newsletter?
The program at each seminar is
titled, “Play Clean or Go Home: NCAA
Drug Policies and Programs.”
Program description: With
expectations to play bigger, stronger
and faster or simply a desire to make
the team, student-athletes need
to rely on a well-informed athletics
compliance staff to guide them
through the maze of performance
enhancement marketing. Experts
from the National Center for Drug Free
Sport and the NCAA Health and Safety
staff will help you understand how to
best comply with NCAA regulations on
drugs, medications and supplements,
and provide you with the resources
you need to effectively assist your
student-athletes to excel and compete
drug-free. For more information, visit
www.drugfreesport.com and click on
the “Events” tab.
inbox, send a message to info@
drugfreesport.com and let us know
you’d like to switch for our next issue,
due out in June.
Either way,
consider making
a “green” move
and switching
to our paperless
version. To
forego a hard
copy and
instead have the
same valuable
Insight content
delivered
straight to
your email
Kathy Turpin, above, Drug Free Sport’s director of collegiate drug testing, recently teamed up
with Mary Wilfert, NCAA associate director of educational affairs, to give an educational presentation at the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Convention, December 18,
in Omaha, Neb. Turpin oversees drug-testing administration for Drug Free Sport’s 200-plus
collegiate clients.