Sensing that some athletes, like those two, seem to slip through the cracks occasionally, KU has evolved its drug-testing program to make sure every athlete is sampled at least twice during their playing days.

In light of Thursday’s Mitchell Report, which confirmed widespread steroid use in the game of baseball, any added intensity is a step in the right direction for what’s proven to be a significant problem.

“Not every drug test is tested for steroids,” said Larry Magee, KU’s director of sports medicine, “but they get tested not only by us but by the NCAA and the Big 12 on a random basis.”

As for KU’s self-testing, the Salt Lake Tribune recently did a nationwide investigation on drug testing at the college level, a study that included KU. Through open-records requests filed earlier this year, the paper found that:

¢ KU stepped up its program in 2005 with a switch to the National Center for Drug Free Sports as its testing company. More than twice as many samples were taken in 2005 compared to 2004.

¢ Between 2004 and February 2007, more than 800 samples were taken from KU student-athletes in university-sponsored testing. But a large majority, according to the documents obtained by the Tribune, were not tested for anabolic steroids. All of the tests for several anabolic steroids – including stanozolol, testosterone, and boldenone – came back negative.

¢ Amphetamines – stimulants which are common among both athletes and regular students – were tested in almost every sample by KU. Only four of the 835 samples came back positive.

¢ Most positive tests – 33 total out of 835 samples – were for marijuana.

Magee said that certain sports at KU were targeted for anabolic-steroid testing over others – specifically baseball, football and certain track-and-field events.

Generally, an athlete gets a phone call during a random evening and is told to report the next morning to submit a urine test. If that test comes back positive, the level of punishment depends on what governing body conducts the test:

¢ Positive tests through the NCAA results in a one-year suspension and loss of eligibility for any banned drug.

¢ The Big 12 Conference hands down a one-year suspension for any positive test for anabolic steroids. Positive tests for street drugs, such as marijuana, are turned over to KU.

¢ Kansas requires only counseling and increased testing for any athlete who tests positive for the first time for any banned drug. A second positive results in suspension for 10 percent of the current or upcoming season. The third test results in being dismissed from the program and taken off scholarship.

Magee sees drug-testing for what it is – not so much a tool that eliminates 100 percent of illegal drug use by student-athletes, but rather a tool that gets that percentage higher just with its presence.

“I don’t think they’re perfect,” Magee said of the tests, “but I think they’re more of a deterrent than anything else we have. I think it’s the best we can do right now.”