MADD Teen Influencer
February 2024
This particular drug was developed to build physical endurance in the muscles, but was banned after medical tests on rodents revealed cancer-causing properties within it. Without the assistance of the drug, the Florida boy wouldn’t have achieved his world record. But the drug testing prevented the athlete from using the substance again, saving him from deadly health problems in the future. To stop any more scandals like this, it is necessary to implement stricter regulations across the country for student-athletes (perhaps even a federal mandate may be needed). The increased prevalence of fentanyl in the drug market has made it even more dangerous to purchase illegal substances, which include those of the performance-enhancing variety. While schools are nearly uniform in their drug testing procedures, whether a club sport tests for drugs or not differs from program to program, since most participants are over 21 years of age and managers don’t want to exclude any players if possible.
Because many Americans value their privacy, there have been multiple legal cases surrounding random drug testing of students. In 1995, the Supreme Court ruled that drug testing of student- athletes is not a privacy violation through the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. However, things
get more complicated within the club sports world and in private schools. For example, my rowing team is not affiliated with any part of the government and, as such, cannot conduct random drug tests without fear of a lawsuit. The same goes for private schools, though they generally are given more authority through en loco parentis than other organizations. Random drug-testing is also widely implemented in professional sports organizations like the NFL, which receives substantial funding from the US government. Given the NFL’s immense influence and wealth, players are unlikely to sue their overseers for privacy violations (without arousing suspicions of cheating, that is). With recent accusations of cheating leveled towards certain players in this year’s Super Bowl, this discussion surrounding the ethics of random drug tests has grown ever more relevant.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker