October 2004 Management Council Agenda Sup. No. 1

REPORT OF THE

NCAA COMMITTEE ON COMPETITIVE SAFEGUARDS AND

MEDICAL ASPECTS OF SPORTS

1. ACTION ITEMS.

Association-wide.

a. Committee Training at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Olympic Drug-Testing Lab.

(1) Recommendation. Approve an education visit to the UCLA lab by members of the Drug-Education and Drug-Testing (DEDT) Subcommittee, effective spring 2005.

(2) Rationale. In the spring of 2001, members of the DEDT Subcommittee and NCAA legal counsel visited the UCLA lab, and received an orientation regarding the lab processes involved in NCAA drug testing. This orientation is vital to the members of this subcommittee, who sit on drug-test appeals brought on behalf of student-athletes who have lost eligibility because of a positive drug test. This orientation provides a fuller understanding and confidence in these testing processes, and educates the committee members on specific points of consideration in deliberating the outcome of the drug-test appeal. In the spring of 2005, most of these members will have completed their committee service, making way for new members in need of this orientation. This educational opportunity will provide continuity of expertise for those involved in deciding these serious matters that involve student-athlete eligibility.

(3) Budget Impact. $10,000 for 10 committee members to attend this two-day training.

b. Homophobia in Athletics.

(1) Recommendation. Support new funding for a proposal to survey the membership on homophobia in athletics to identify the perceived frequency of discrimination; department nondiscrimination and harassment policies; and institution-based education and support resources for athletics staff and student-athletes, effective August 2006.

(2) Rationale. Numerous studies testify to the devastating consequences on the growth and development of students who are harassed or discriminated against because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Students targeted by this discrimination have higher rates of depression, suicide, high risk sexual behavior, and drug and alcohol use. These studies examine this issue in the general student population, but far less literature to date focuses on student-athletes. The preliminary studies that focus on student-athletes indicate no less prevalence in athletics.

Because of the extra pressures on student-athletes as public representatives, the problems faced by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) student-athletes may be more complex than those of their peers. In addition, anecdotal evidence suggests that homophobia and discrimination, and harassment of GLBT student-athletes and coaches, are present in the form of name calling; bullying; negative recruiting; employment discrimination; peer harassment and ostracizing; sexual humiliation in team hazing rituals; and sexual harassment, among others. The proposal would provide the NCAA with descriptive statistical information to better assess the presence of discrimination and the presence of policy and programming in department of athletics designed to eliminate this discrimination. The NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee supports surveying the membership on this issue.

(3) Budget Implications. $40,000 (2006-08 Biennial budget).

c. Male Practice Squads.

(1) Recommendation. Eliminate “male” from the practice squad bylaw interpretations to incorporate both males and females, and add language to require all student-athletes involved with practice squads to show proof of medical insurance and passing of a pre-participation exam. The committee also believes it should be permissible to provide medical care for these student-athletes that incur athletic-related injuries sustained during a countable practice, effective August 2005.

(2) Rationale. The committee believes all countable student-athletes on the team (e.g., practice squad) should be required to pass appropriate medical examinations and be afforded the same care as other teammates.

(3) Budget Impact. None.

d. Committee Chair.

(1) Recommendation. Appoint Michael Krauss, a medical doctor from Purdue University, as the next chair of the committee, effective September 2005.

(2) Rationale. As head team physician, Dr. Krauss possesses the experience to lead this committee in its mission to provide expertise and leadership to the Association to promote a healthy and safe environment for student-athletes.

(3) Budget Impact. None.

e. Medical Access at Championships.

(1) Recommendation. Seek to improve medical access in all sports and provide three passes designated for medical credentials for each championship.

(2) Rationale. The committee noted that certified athletic trainer (ATC)/physician access at NCAA Championship events has been improving. Men’s Basketball recently added a separate credential for the ATC and physician to sit on the bench area. Wrestling has improved with a designated seat for the certified athletic trainer on the mat. The committee recommends that all sports follow this pattern of improvement by providing three passes designated for medical credentials for championship events.

(3) Budget Impact. None.

Divisions I and II only.

f. NCAA Bylaw 16.5.2.g.

(1) Recommendation. Amend, through the noncontroversial legislation process, NCAA Bylaw 16.5.2-(g), which clarifies what nutritional supplement categories an institution may provide to student-athletes, effective August 2005.

(2) Rationale. The intent of Bylaw 16.5.2-(g) is to limit what nutritional supplementation an institution may provide to student-athletes to those in four categories: electrolyte drinks, carbohydrate boosters, energy bars, and vitamins and minerals. The current language includes additional qualifiers that are not well-defined, and unnecessary. Substituting the word “permissible” for the current language “nonmuscle-building” provides clearer definition. The amended bylaw would read: “An institution may provide permissible ~~only nonmuscle building~~ nutritional supplements to a student-athlete ~~at any time~~ for the purpose of providing additional calories and electrolytes., ~~provided the supplements do not contain any NCAA banned substances.~~ Permissible ~~nonmuscle building~~ nutritional supplements are identified according to the following classes: carbohydrate/electrolyte drinks, energy bars, carbohydrate boosters and vitamins and minerals, and do not contain any NCAA banned substances.”

(3) Budget Impact. None.

Division I only.

g. Amend Bylaw 13.3.2.2 Report Distribution.

(1) Recommendation. Support the distribution of a hard copy of the NCAA list of banned substances to all incoming prospects in addition to citing the Web site, effective immediately.

(2) Rationale. The original NCAA Division I Proposal No. 2003-22 was amended and approved as Bylaw 13.3.2.2 to give institutions the option to provide a hard copy of the NCAA list of banned substances or cite the Web cite to all incoming prospects. Because many student-athletes do not have access to the Internet and because the receipt of a hard copy puts the actual list and warning about nutritional supplement use directly in front of the student-athlete, the committee recommends that distributing a hard copy not be an option but a requirement. The committee recommends that this recommendation could be implemented as an educational approach through an interpretation and through The NCAA News.

(3) Budget Impact. None.

2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.

Association-wide.

a. Championship Drug Testing. The committee will seek an increase in funding for championship drug testing through the internal inflationary budget process, and seek to institute drug testing as a budget consideration for any championship expansion plan. NCAA championship participation has doubled in the past 10 years, whereas funding has remained static for a set number of drug tests to cover all championships. In order to maintain effective deterrence of NCAA banned substance use at NCAA championships, the number of tests needs to be a percent of the total number of participating student-athletes.

b. Drug-Education and Testing Program Evaluation. The committee approved supporting a proposal from Dr. Gary Green to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to provide assessment, at no cost to the NCAA, of NCAA drug-education and testing programs. This support would include committee members being available for interview and for requesting a letter of support from NCAA president Myles Brand.

c. Betty Ford Center Program Cancelled. The committee was informed about the loss of NCAA funding for the Betty Ford Professional-in-Residence Program, and it expressed its disappointment in the loss of a valuable drug-education program and its concern over the decision to eliminate funding in the face of positive feedback from member participants.

d. Lacrosse Eyewear Testing. The committee supported US Lacrosse’s efforts to seek third party testing of eyewear to meet the American Society for Testing and Materials standard for impact and encourages US Lacrosse to seek avenues to establish a standard program.

e. Lacrosse Rules. The committee supported US Lacrosse’s suggestion to develop penalties for student-athletes that intentionally block the ball with their body on shots taken close to the net and enhance the education of coaches not to teach such a strategy. The committee also suggested to US Lacrosse and the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Rules Committee that officials should enforce spearing rules and add a new rule to deter helmet-to-helmet contact and violent collisions with a severe penalty to the student-athlete initiating contact as determined by the official.

f. Goal Posts Safety. The committee discussed the impact of goal posts on injury rates and potential for injury, and the safety benefits versus cost benefit of changing posts from wood and metal to vinyl or padded posts. Injury Surveillance System data for injury rates with contact with goal posts shows very low incidence. The committee concluded to continue to monitor the injury rates, and begin evaluating for time loss and non-time loss injuries.

g. Field Hockey. The committee suggested sending a letter from the committee to United States Field Hockey Association (USFHA) noting injury rates to the head. The committee suggested the NCAA Field Hockey Committee work with equipment manufacturers to develop eyewear to promote an extended view to benefit student-athletes in field hockey that provides optimal protection. In addition, the committee suggested listing eyewear and gloves as permissive equipment in the sport rules book.

h. Preseason Models. The committee discussed sport-specific feedback of the fall sport preseason model and revised the model that allows for more institutional and sport specific autonomy.