Page 108 - Demo

IHSA Performance-Enhancing Drug Testing Policies, continued
Administration of tests
Specimens shall be collected by an independent third party administrator and forwarded to a performance-enhancing substance testing laboratory with current certification from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the World Anti-Doping Agency, or another appropriate national or international-certifying organization.
Specimen Collection Procedures
The methodology for taking and handling samples shall be in accordance with current legal standards and shall be reviewed annually as a part of this policy. A full explanation of the collection protocols are outlined in Appendix A of this policy.
Sufficiency of results
A positive result will be any result reported as positive by the accredited laboratory. The Medical Review Officer (MRO) may grant a Medical Exception to a student-athlete who is able to produce documentation showing a legitimate medical need and a prescription from a licensed physician for a banned substance. Results reported as positive by the laboratory shall maintain positive status even though a sanction may not be applied to the student-athlete.
Appeal process
If the certified laboratory reports that a student-athlete’s sample has tested positive, and the IHSA Medical Review Officer confirms that there is no legitimate medical reason for a positive result, a penalty shall be imposed unless the student-athlete proves, by a preponderance of evidence, that he/she bears no fault or negligence for the violation. Appeals shall be heard in accordance with IHSA By-law 1.460 before the IHSA Board of Directors.
Penaltie1s. Any person who tests positively in an IHSA administered test, or any person who refuses to provide a testing sample, or any person who attempts to alter the integrity or validity of the urine specimen, or any person who reports his or her own violation, or any other breach of the IHSA protocol as determined by the independent third party administrator shall immediately forfeit his or her eligibility to participate in IHSA competition for a period of 365 days from the test results are reported to the student and the school. Any such person shall also forfeit any individual honor earned while in violation. The student may apply for reinstatement of his/her athletic eligibility no sooner than 90 calendar days of the suspension following successful completion of an approved educational program and testing negative in a subsequent substance test administered by the association’s third party test administrator. The costs of the educational program, and the additional substance test, are the responsibility of the student.
Additionally, the IHSA reserves the right to conduct follow-up substance tests, in accordance with the procedures outlined in
this policy, any such person who tests positive for a banned substance class in an IHSA administered test.
2. Under the provisions of Article 1.460 of the IHSA Constitution, the Executive Director will evaluate each positive test result
situation on a case by case basis to determine if a team/school penalty is appropriate.
3. Under the provisions of Article 1.460 of the IHSA Constitution, the Executive Director will evaluate each positive test result
situation on a case by case basis to determine if a coach at a member school knowingly violated the rules of the testing program
and if a subsequent penalty against any such coach is appropriate.
4. Under the provisions of Article 1.460 of the IHSA Constitution, appeals will be heard by the IHSA Board of Directors.
Reporting of Results
In reporting results of IHSA administered substance tests, the accredited laboratory will forward all completed substance test results to the third party administrator. The third party administrator will forward all negative results to the designated IHSA representative. Upon receipt of negative test results, the IHSA will notify member schools of those results.
In the event of positive test results, however, the third party administrator will forward all positive substance test results to the MRO to determine if a medical exception is to be granted to the student-athlete. In such cases, the following shall serve as this policy’s medical review
process: 1.
The third party administrator will notify the MRO of the positive test result. At this time, the IHSA will also be notified that a positive test result has occurred.
The MRO will have 48 hours from the time of their notification of the positive test result to contact the student’s parent(s)/legal guardian(s). If the MRO is unable to establish contact within 48 hours, the submission time outlined in #3 shall begin.
2. 3.
The student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) have 48 hours from the time of their notification of the positive test result from the MRO to respond and provide appropriate documentation/materials. If appropriate documentation is not submitted within the prescribed time period, a medical exception shall be denied.
Upon receipt of appropriate documentation, the MRO shall have five (5) business days to review submitted documentation/materials and make any final determination whether a medical exception shall be granted or denied.
4.
5. 6.
Final determination will be forwarded to the third party administrator and then to the IHSA.
If a medical exception is not granted by the MRO for a Student-athlete with a positive finding on Specimen A, Specimen B will automatically be tested. The third party test administrator will notify the member school representative by telephone as soon as possible of the initial positive finding on Specimen A. The telephone contact will be followed by a letter (marked “confidential”), which will be mailed to the member school representative. The third party test administrator will, during the telephone conversation, advise the member school representative that Specimen B will be tested.
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