 |  |
CCES, CIS and CFL announce robust anti-doping measures after more university football players test positive for banned substances
OTTAWA – The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
(CCES), Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and the Canadian
Football League (CFL) held a media conference today (Tuesday,
August 10, 2010), to announce a series of anti-doping measures that
will be put in place immediately for university football
players.
On March 31, the CCES conducted or attempted to conduct doping
control tests on 62 University of Waterloo football players. A
total of 82 sample collections were conducted or attempted.
Sixty-one (61) of those sample collections were for urine and 20
were for blood. CCES is managing a total of nine cases related to
the University of Waterloo testing.
The CCES conducted unannounced tests on CIS football players from
universities across the country during the month of June with the
help of the CIS and its member institutions who provided
athletes’ performance records and information on their home
locations. From those home visits, the CCES has confirmed two
anti-doping rule violations and is managing one other potential
violation.
“Naturally we’re very disappointed in the results of
the home visit tests, as they signal that doping in CIS football is
not an isolated occurrence,” said CIS chief executive officer
Marg McGregor. “We have significant work to do to address the
problem in a systematic and comprehensive manner and to protect the
integrity and positive values of university football. We look
forward to working with our partners to address the
issue.”
CCES will immediately launch an independent task force on the use
of performance enhancing substances in football. The task force
will look at the prevailing attitudes and trends, if any, towards
the use of performance enhancement drugs and the extent to which
they may be used in the sport of football. Depending on their
findings, the task force may work across sectors to identify and
develop recommendations on federal, provincial and municipal
actions that may be taken to address the issue of performance
enhancing drug use in football; and, provide recommendations for
stakeholder actions that may be implemented to tackle the problem.
On the basis of their findings during their examination of
football, the task force may also comment on the situation that may
exist more broadly within all of sport.
More details including the task force membership will be provided
in the coming weeks.
CIS will host an Anti-Doping Symposium on Friday, November 26, in
conjunction with the 2010 Vanier Cup at Université Laval in
Quebec City. The Symposium will feature practical hands-on sessions
designed for coaches and trainers. There will also be sessions
tailored for athletic directors and senior administration to
discuss policy, testing, and doping education approaches. The
agenda will also include a presentation by the CCES Task Force on
the use of Performance Enhancing Substances in Football on its
findings and recommendations.
CCES will increase the number of tests allocated to the CIS
football testing program by reallocating tests and focusing on the
more at-risk periods during the off-season.
The CFL has agreed to:
- Identify,
from the ranks of CIS teams, 80 top prospects each year for the
CFL’s Evaluation Camp and Canadian Draft.
- Provide
funding for more extensive testing of those top prospects.
- Participate
in a public education program that emphasizes to minor football and
CIS players that the best way to get to the pros is through
dedication and hard work, not the use of performance enhancing
drugs that pose a serious threat to an athlete’s health and
the integrity of the game.
“Our sport, played with passion and integrity, is a
tremendously positive influence on the lives of young athletes and
the communities in which they live,” said Kevin McDonald, the
CFL’s Director of Football Operations.
“We all share a responsibility to ensure that positive
experience is not undermined by performance enhancing drugs. As
role models for football players at every level, those of us
privileged enough to be part of the CFL are working to fulfill that
responsibility.”
TESTING RESULTS:
From the out-of-season testing that occurred during the month of
June, the CCES has confirmed two anti-doping rule violations and is
managing one other potential violation.
A 3rd year linebacker from Acadia University, Barrie Ontario
native, Taylor Shadgett’s urine sample returned an
adverse analytical finding for Stanozolol a prohibited substance
according to the 2010 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited
List. Mr Shadgett admitted to the ingestion of the steroid Winstrol
at the time of sample collection. Mr. Shadgett exercised his right
to a hearing and received a sanction of two years ineligibility.
The decision can be found at www.crdsc-sdrcc.ca.
“Acadia University supports the testing regime and suspension
policies of the CCES and the CIS and is committed to the objectives
of all sports organizations to achieve doping-free sport thereby
protecting the rights of athletes to compete in a fair and ethical
sport environment,” said Brian Heaney, Acadia’s
director of varsity athletics.
A 2nd year linebacker from the University of Windsor, Amherstburg
Ontario native, Christopher Deneau’s urine sample returned an
adverse analytical finding for the presence of
Methyl-1-testosterone, a prohibited substance according to the 2010
WADA Prohibited List. Mr. Deneau waived his right to a hearing and
acknowledged the commission of an anti-doping rule violation. He
received a sanction of a two-year period of ineligibility.
“This the first time a University of Windsor athlete has
tested positive for performance enhancing drugs,” said Gord
Grace, University of Windsor Director of Athletics. “We have
a zero-tolerance policy and are fully supportive of the Canadian
Anti-Doping Program. All or our students are required to take
online anti-doping education from the CCES and we augment that with
presentations from an on-site CCES representative who is also a
Drug Education consultant from the Windsor Essex County Health
Unit. It’s a widespread message that we ensure is
communicated to all our athletes without exception.”
From the 62 urine sample collections attempted at the University of
Waterloo, CCES is managing a total of nine cases which include: one
asserted refusal; a total of four admissions – two admissions
occurred prior to the testing procedures and two admissions
occurred at the time of sample collection; three adverse analytical
findings; and two cases pending a police investigation.
To date, the CCES has closed a total of four of the cases: three
admissions of an anti-doping rule violation and one adverse
analytical finding for Tamoxifen, a prohibited substance according
to the 2010 WADA Prohibited List.
The CCES is continuing to monitor the ongoing Waterloo Regional
Police investigation into former University of Waterloo football
players Nathan Zettler and Brandon Krukowski, both have been
charged with possession of steroids for the purpose of trafficking.
Trafficking in prohibited substances is also an anti-doping rule
violation. These matters are in the process of review by the CCES
and may result in further anti-doping assertions.
“Sport in Canada is a source of great community spirit and
pride for Canadians of all ages. We all share a responsibility to
ensure that young athletes don’t grow up believing that the
route to winning or making the team is by using performance
enhancing drugs,” said Mr. Doug MacQuarrie, CCES Chief
Operating Officer. “Striving for excellence means to rise to
the challenge to be the best you can be. Doping steals this
opportunity from the athlete, sport and our society as a whole.
Cheating, such as doping, has no place in sport. On behalf of all
Canadians, the CCES remains steadfast in its expectation that
football, and all sport, be doping-free.”
About the CCES
The CCES is an independent, national, non-profit organization. Our
mission, to foster ethical sport for all Canadians, is carried out
through research, promotion, education, detection and deterrence,
as well as through programs and partnerships with other
organizations. For further information, visit www.cces.ca.
