BILL PROPOSES STIFFER PENALTIES FOR DRUG ABUSE

Measure triggered by McCoy case. Senator's aide calls UCLA testing program
'a joke.'

A state senator, lashing out at UCLA's athletic drug-testing policies, has
introduced a bill that would mandate a ban for any player at a state-funded
public university who fails two drug tests.

The bill, introduced last week by State Sen. Pete Knight (R-Palmdale), also
would require drug testing and attendance at drug-prevention seminars for
student-athletes in all University of California and California State
University schools. According to Rod Olsen, an aide for Knight, the
introduction of the bill was, for the most part, in reaction to the recent
alleged failing of repeated drug tests by UCLA center Jelani McCoy, who
recently resigned from the team.

The bill, if passed, would mean that all student-athletes would be tested
twice each school year. Upon a player's first failed drug test, he or she
would be immediately suspended for three months.

"It's about time universities take this issue seriously," Knight said in a
statement. "We cannot allow these athletes to continually test positive,
three to five times in some cases, without some ramifications."

According to sources, UCLA was limited in what action it could take
against McCoy by loopholes in its newly revised policy. Only after a month
of negotiations were UCLA lawyers able to force McCoy to resign from the
team, sources said.

"UCLA's drug-testing program is a joke," said Olsen, who added that all
California campuses currently test their student-athletes. "It's the most
lenient in the state, by our research. Even Fresno State's is tougher.
Sacramento State's is tougher.

"It seems like it's a program in place so the players can remain on the
team--not to treat any addictions."

UCLA's former policy wiped away any positive tests at the end of each
school year. A revision, instituted last summer, made all positive tests
cumulative throughout a student-athlete's career, but was not clear
whether positives incurred before the revision counted under the new
policy.

Under the new policy, upon the first and second positive tests of a
player's career, the UCLA student-athlete must go to counseling, without
suspension. Only upon a third positive is the player suspended from the
next scheduled contest. A fourth positive results in an immediate
suspension and the non-renewal of his or her scholarship for the next
academic year.

Marc Dellins, UCLA sports information director, said the school had not
seen a copy of Knight's bill. "It would be premature for UCLA to comment
until we have seen the legislation," Dellins said.

Copyright Los Angeles Times