67 Laurier players test clean

OTTAWA – The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) has confirmed that no anti-doping rule violations ensued from a large doping control test mission involving 67 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawk football players in January of this year. "We are pleased that the CCES has confirmed that our student-athletes are making good decisions and playing drug-free," said Peter Baxter, Laurier's Director of Athletics and Recreation. "Laurier will continue to participate fully in educating our student-athletes and partnering with the CCES testing process to ensure that our athletes continue to play drug-free, in the spirit of fair play and ethical sport."

Out of a total of 67 urine and 16 blood tests, only one sample returned a positive finding for the presence of a prohibited substance that resulted in a medical review for the use of a prescribed medication.

"We believe that the vast majority of CIS student-athletes compete with integrity and in the spirit of fair-play, and these results support that belief," said Marg McGregor, CEO of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS). "While we are pleased with the results, we still have work to do, and we will continue to work with our partners to enhance drug education and testing."

The CCES, with the support and assistance of the CIS and its member institutions, has put in place a rigorous testing program targeted at football. Since March 31, 2010, the CCES has conducted 324 tests on CIS football players. In previous years, the CCES conducted just over 260 anti-doping tests on CIS athletes, and approximately 105 of those tests were in the sport of football.

"CIS and its member institutions have been very helpful in providing us with information and cooperation so that we can effectively test CIS football players," said Paul Melia, President and CEO of the CCES. "With the assistance of the CFL and by borrowing a number of tests from other lower risk sports, the CCES has increased the number of tests we are conducting, and focussed our testing during the off season. However, maintaining this high level of testing is not sustainable.

"We are working with all of our stakeholders, including the CCES Task Force on Performance Enhancing Drug Use in Football, to look at ways that we might sustain an aggressive anti-doping program in the sport of football. We are encouraged by the fact that we have not had any further anti-doping rule violations, but we know we must continue to be vigilant.

"We want football players across the country to realize that we are out there and that they can be tested anytime, anywhere. Choosing to cheat is not an option," Mr. Melia continued.

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.

-CCES-