Kara Quill
Asst. Sports Editor

New restrictions on dietary supplements for Illinois athletes will be implemented for the 2008 school year, according to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). Players will now be tested during the playoffs in a random selection.

Athletic trainer Amanda Anderson said, “The main goal is to protect the athletes from the bad things that can happen. People argue that the IHSA wants to level the playing field in all of Illinois.”

This new policy applies to all varsity teams, and in the future, might apply to more levels. Since this is the first year that the plan is in action, the fine details have yet to be determined. After a playoff game, a few players will be randomly selected and tested from each of the competing teams.

“Kids must be very careful with what they use. Most of them [supplements] aren’t regulated by the FDA,” said Athletic Director Steve Rockrohr.

Stimulants, Anabolic Steroids, Diuretics, and Peptide Hormones are just a few of the categories that the new testing will cover. Many of these drugs include banned substances that may not be advertised on the label. Caffeine will also be tested for, but very high amounts are necessary to register a positive test. A statement put out by the IHSA stated, “IHSA By-Law 2.170, which took affect on July 1, 2007, strengthens the relationship between students and their schools by affirming the school’s commitment to offering a safe environment in which their students can develop.”

Performance-enhancing drugs have presented problems to athletic organizations in the past and are harmful to a students health in the future.

“It is common for kids to want to be bigger, faster, and stronger, get a scholarship, or get that starting position,” said Anderson.

If an athlete tests positive in one of the random testings, there are a few things that could happen.

“If someone is positive, they contact the family to find out why, like a prescription drug. Everything is on an individual basis. If there is no reason, then depending on how far the team is in playoffs, they [IHSA]could take the trophy away,” said Anderson.

The loss of a trophy also depends on which player tested positive. If the player made a large contribution to the team, the trophy is more likely to be taken away.

“The value of high school interscholastic programs is found in the overall physical, emotional, and intellectual development of student athletes. In that pursuit, anabolic steroids and performance enhancing dietary supplements offer no positive contribution,” stated the IHSA in an online statement. The IHSA hopes that steroid testing will lead to an overall improvement of high school athletics.