TESTING

Drug Testing Should Be Required for State's Student Athletes

A proposal to require drug testing for student athletes deserves support.

There's no disputing that drug problems in general have become an
increasing plague in West Virginia and in the whole country.

Measures to stem the tide need to be considered, especially in the
sports arena.

Too many athletes have already made national headlines for drug use,
and those convicted have set a horrible example.

Steroids have long been a troublesome issue, especially as the bar
of competition continues to rise and more money is at stake.

It's easy to see how student athletes could succumb to the pressure
- -- not only from the sports world and their peers, but from parents
- -- to use performance-enhancing drugs.

Sen. Clark Barnes, R-Randolph, used that argument Monday as he
introduced a bill that would require the West Virginia Secondary
School Activities Commission to set up a mandatory drug screening program.

Under the terms outlined in the bill, any athlete would be in
violation for possessing, ingesting or otherwise using drugs on a
list of banned substances without a written prescription from a
licensed physician for the treatment of medical conditions.

Before any student could take part in interscholastic sports, they
and a parent or guardian must agree in writing to random,
confidential testing. Any athlete testing positive or refusing to be
tested, or who voluntarily reports a violation, will be ineligible
to participate in an SSAC competition a full year from the date of the test.

Eligibility wouldn't resume until the offending athlete has
undergone counseling and tests negative.

The measure says 60 percent of all tests will embrace football,
wrestling, track and field, swimming and baseball. All other sports
will fall into the 40 percent bracket. However, the testing as
proposed is limited to individuals or teams qualifying for state
championship competition.

Although the costs are likely to be very prohibitive, we'd like to
see it extended to random tests at any time.

Regardless, something needs to be put in place, and hopefully, these
stringent boundaries will be effective in discouraging any student
athlete from using drugs.

The desired results would be an athlete who could take greater pride
in his or her own abilities and skills and a young person who has a
healthier shot at success outside the sports arena.

We can certainly champion both of those goals.