Drug testing is the process of collecting samples of your blood, urine, or saliva to check for chemicals that are either illegal or banned in a sport.
Some common chemicals or substances for which athletes are usually tested are:
Drug testing is used at many levels of sports:
Drug testing is also done for many kinds of jobs, such as airline pilots and police officers.
During a drug test, an athlete gives a sample of urine, blood, or saliva. This is observed by a testing official under strict test conditions. Often officials from the sports governing body will be present to observe as well. It is important that confidentiality is kept for the athlete. It is important that the drug test is done correctly.
After a drug test, the samples are sent to a lab and the test results reported. If an athlete does not test positive for a banned substance then nothing happens. If an athlete tests positive then he or she may be banned or suspended from his or her sport. The length of suspension depends on what substance was detected and how many prior positive tests as athlete has had.
There is no way to prepare for a drug test. Most drug tests are surprise tests or random tests. There is no truth to the rumors that niacin, vinegar, or other substances can beat the tests.
The main risk is the chance of a false positive test result.
The benefits of drug testing in sports are to:
Each sports organization has a different list of substances for which they test. Contact your specific league to find out for which chemicals they test. For more information:
A good Web site for athletes is the World Anti-Doping Agency at http://www.wada-ama.org/.
NCAA athletes can go to http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/student-athlete+experience/ncaa+banned+drugs+list.
