Beyond “Wishful Thinking”...Is Drug Testing Accomplishing

What We Intended?

Rick Albrecht, Ph.D.Department of Movement Science

Grand Valley State University

Copyright Dr. Rick Albrecht., 2005

Prefacing Comments

As Athletic Trainers -- particularly those of you that are going into scholastic and collegiate settings -- you will be called on to assist -- if not actually administer -- your institution’s drug testing program

You are going to be told -- time and time again -- by those advocating drug testing that this is an essential and effective program

Prefacing Comments

We all would LIKE TO BELIEVE that drug testing is accomplishing its goals -- however, simply WISHING the drug testing of athletes to be effective doesn’t mean it is

After nearly 40 years of drug testing, it’s time we critically examine whether or not drug testing is accomplishing its intended purposes

Wishful Thinking:

Drug Testing Ensures Fairand Equitable Competition

It is impossible to test for all known and unknown performance-enhancing and “masking” substances

Without this ability, there is no way drug testing can ever ensure fair and equitable competition

Despite technological advances, drug testing remains a human endeavor and as such, is subject to human error

New drug policy: “Clean” drug test means nothing (example: Marion Jones)

Even Top Drug Testing Officials“Admit” Testing Can’t Identify Users

Dr. Robert Voy (Director of Drug Testing for the United States Olympic Committee from 1984-1989)…

“The testers know that the drug gurus are smarter than they are. They know how to get under the radar”

Even Top Drug Testing Officials“Admit” Testing Can’t Identify Users

Wade Exum (Director, USOC Drug Control from 1991-2000)…

“The USOC does not run a doping control program, they run a controlled doping program”

Even Top Drug Testing Officials“Admit” Testing Can’t Identify Users

Dick Pound (Head, World Anti-Doping Agency)…

"It's got to be pretty embarrassing to the USOC to have their secretary general writing in the letter where he advises an athlete of a positive sample, 'I have to send you this, but we already decided this was inadvertent’. That whole process turned into a joke."

Even Top Drug Testing Officials“Admit” Testing Can’t Identify Users

Chuck Yesalis (Professor and National Drug Expert)…

“Only stupid and careless and foolish people ever get caught”

Wishful Thinking:Drug Testing Reduces Health Risks Among

Athletes

Testing for performance-enhancing drugs raises the ante and pushes those wishing to cheat to turn to unknown or less detectable substances

These new substances may actually be more of a health hazard than the original substances

Wishful Thinking:Drug Testing Reduces Health Risks Among

Athletes

“Providing emergency care for the athletes . . . [is] more complicated than normal emergency room situations”

- Dr. Eric Deal Director of Emergency

Medicine, 1996 Olympic Village

Medical personnel are forced to consult a 60-page list of allowable medications before prescribing treatment for Olympic athletes

Wishful Thinking:Drug Testing Reduces Health Risks Among

Athletes

For the sake of argument, let’s assume for a moment this is true, doesn’t it then beg the question…

Why should athletes receive a “higher standard of medical care” than their peers?

Are we providing drug “screening” benefits for all students? Why not?

Wishful Thinking:

Drug Testing Protects“Clean”Athletes

The illusion that athletes who cheat will be caught by drug testing may actually make “clean” athletes even more vulnerable to their unethical competitors

Drug testing may give “clean” athletes a false sense of security because they assume a “level” playing field that drug testing can never provide

Wishful Thinking:

Drug Testing is JustifiedBecause Athletes Want It

Although many athletes favor mandatory, unannounced drug testing, many do not

Athletes who oppose drug testing, for any reason, are generally believed to be cheating

One group of athletes do not have the right to deprive all others of their civil liberties

Wishful Thinking:

Drug Testing Increases PublicPerception that Games are Fair

Did the fact that Marion Jones has “passed” over 160 drug tests convince her accusers that she has competed “clean”?

Does the fact that Lance Armstrong has never tested positive stop the rumors and accusations about his drug use?

What is the point of drug testing if neither the public nor the athletes have faith in the results?

Wishful Thinking:

Drug Testing Improves the Public Image of Athletes

Mandatory drug testing without “reasonable suspicion” sends the public the message that simply being an athlete is enough reason to suspect an individual of unethical behavior

Intense media coverage of athletes who test positive simply reinforces the perception that athletes cannot to be trusted

Wishful Thinking:

Drug Testing Does NotInfringe on Civil Liberties

Indiscriminate, mandatory drug testing of all athletes:

• Lacks reasonable suspicion - all athletes are assumed guilty until they prove themselves innocent

• Without suspicion, becomes a case of unreasonable search and seizure

• Is an invasion of privacy

• Often lacks adequate “due process” after a positive test result

Wishful Thinking:

Drug Testing PromotesPersonal Ethics Among Athletes

Testing and sanctions can, at best, only alter overt behavior, not personal ethics

Drug testing encourages athletes to operate at a lower level of moral reasoning:

“I won’t use drugs because I might get punished” -- versus --

“I won’t use drugs because it would be cheating myself and others and dishonoring my sport”

Wishful Thinking:

Drug Testers Only Have the Athletes’ Best Interest in Mind

Drug testing labs and personnel have their own vested interest in advancing drug testing policies• Financial» Individual Salary and Job Security» Corporate Profits

• Psychological» Need to “save face” by not contradicting previous

positions

We must make sure our personal interests do not influence our professional judgments

Wishful Thinking:

Drug Testing Athletes Has No Effect on Public Testing Policy

Testing highly visible athletes for drug use sets a dangerous public precedent

Once the public accepts the fact that athletes are tested, it’s much easier for them to accept the legitimacy of drug testing policies for the general public

Wishful Thinking:

Drug Testing is a LegitimateSolution to a Serious Problem

To assume that drug testing is the solution means that drug use is the problem rather than a mere symptom of a larger, more systemic problem

Focusing on drug testing keeps us from addressing the real problem of obscene reward systems and a society-wide “win at all cost” philosophy

If Drug Testing Does Not Accomplish What We Intend, Why Do We Do It?

Although drug testing can not ensure “fair and equitable” competition, it can ensure the illusion of “fair and equitable” competition

Without the illusion of fairness, the public would lose interest in the games and the athletes

Without the public’s interest, there would be no corporate sponsorship

Some Final Pointson Drug Testing

We must always acknowledge the limits of drug testing

We can’t let our war on drugs become a war on civil liberties

Without systemic changes, drug testing is useless… with systemic changes, drug testing won’t be necessary

Everything We Have Learned After 40 Years ofDrug Testing Leads to Only One Conclusion...