Drug Testing
The NCAA shares the responsibility of promoting a drug-free athletics environment with its member institutions to protect the health of student-athletes and preserve fair competition.
Drug testing in the NCAA began in 1986 when testing at championship events began, and it expanded to a year-round program in Divisions I and II in 1990. Today, 90 percent of Division I, 65 percent of Division II and 21 percent of Division III schools conduct their own drug-testing programs in addition to the NCAA’s.
Approximately $4.5 million is invested each year to collect and analyze approximately 13,500 samples through the NCAA’s national drug-testing program, and more than $1.5 million is provided each year to assist drug-education programs at its member colleges and universities.
NCAA drug-test samples are collected and processed by an independent certified collection agency. The samples are collected and analyzed under a strict, published protocol using laboratories certified by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which establishes Olympic anti-doping policies.
The NCAA bans the following classes of drugs:
-Stimulants
-Anabolic Agents
-Alcohol and Beta Blockers (banned for rifle only)
-Diuretics and Other Masking Agents
-Street Drugs
-Peptide Hormones and Analogues
-Anti-estrogens
-Beta-2 Agonists
*Note: Any substance chemically related to these classes is also banned.
However, the NCAA recognizes that some banned substances are used for legitimate medical purposes. Accordingly, the NCAA allows exception to be made for those student-athletes with a documented medical history demonstrating the need for treatment with a banned medication.
The most common exception is for prescribed ADHD medication. The following form will need to be completed by the prescribing physician: ADHD Reporting Form.
For more information, please go to:
NCAA Drug-Testing Program
