Prohibited Substances
Performance-Enhancing Drugs: Performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) are medically harmful and are expressly prohibited by Minot State University and the NCAA. State and federal laws also prohibit the sale, distribution, and/or use of many of these substances. PEDs include steroids and other anabolic agents identified on the NCAA Banned Drugs list or agents used to block/mask detection. Examples of blocking/masking agents are included on the NCAA Banned Drugs list in Section (d): Diuretics. Student-athletes who take these substances are not only endangering their own health and safety but are also jeopardizing the health and safety of the student-athletes with whom they participate.
Social Drugs (e.g., street drugs): Social drugs (e.g., marijuana, amphetamines, opiates, ecstasy, etc.) have the potential to cause harm and dependence. The use of these drugs may impair performance and reaction time, possibly resulting in injury to the student-athlete or others during an athletic activity. Social drugs are medically harmful and are expressly prohibited by Minot State University and the NCAA. State and federal laws also prohibit the sale, distribution, and/or use of many of these substances. Socially used drugs that are banned by Minot State University and the NCAA are identified on the NCAA Banned Drugs list. Student-athletes who take these substances are not only endangering their own health and safety but are also jeopardizing the health and safety of student-athletes with whom they participate.
Prescription Medication: Student-athletes who are taking medications that contain substances that appear on the NCAA Banned Drugs list must provide documented medical evidence demonstrating the need for regular use of such substances. Substances designated on the NCAA Banned Drugs list are permitted if the student-athlete has such required documented medical evidence.
Alcohol: Minot State University and its Athletics Department view the use of alcohol to be incompatible with the goals of athletic and academic excellence. Possession and consumption of alcohol by persons under the age of 21 in the State of North Dakota is illegal. Accordingly, student-athletes under the age of 21 are expected to abide by state law. Because of the potential to cause harm, student-athletes may not consume alcohol prior to practice or competition. Student-athletes are not allowed to participate in practice or competition activities if they have alcohol in their systems. Student-athletes are also prohibited from consuming alcohol during University-sponsored travel.
Dietary Supplements: Many dietary supplements or ergogenic aids contain banned substances. Often the labeling of dietary supplements is not accurate and is misleading. Terms such as “healthy” or “all natural” do not mean dietary supplements are free of banned substance or are safe to take. Using dietary supplements may lead to negative side effects such as dehydration and/or may cause positive drug tests. Student-athletes who are currently taking dietary supplements or intend to take any are required to review the product with the head athletic trainer prior to usage.
Other Substances: The NCAA Banned Substances list identifies other prohibited substances. Student-athletes are responsible for understanding that all substances listed on the NCAA Banned Drugs list are also banned by Minot State University. Minot State University reserves the right to test for substances not included on the NCAA Banned Drugs list and to test for substances at cut-off levels that may vary from the NCAA testing protocol.
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Testing Options
Student-athletes may be selected to participate in any or all drug testing methods defined as follows:
• Random testing
• Team testing
• Reasonable suspicion testing
• Re-entry testing
• Follow-up testing
Random Testing: Randomly selected individuals may be subject to drug and alcohol testing at any time. A computerized system or similar mechanism may be used to select student-athletes for testing on a random basis.
Team Testing: An entire team could be subject to drug or alcohol testing at the request of the head coach or Director of Athletics. In order to ensure the health and safety of student-athletes initially reporting for practice or during the academic year, and also to ensure student-athletes will not be disqualified from NCAA championships, Minot State University is permitted to select an entire team for testing.
Reasonable Suspicion Testing and Past Positive Results: Reasonable suspicion is intended to target situations when there are objective facts or specific occurrences that support the conclusion that a student-athlete may be using prohibited substances. Reasonable suspicion may also be triggered by a previous positive test within the preceding 12 months or any positive test during the student-athlete’s enrollment at Minot State University.
Re-entry Testing: A student-athlete who has had his or her eligibility to participate in the intercollegiate athletics program suspended as a result of a drug and/or alcohol incident will be required to undergo re-entry testing prior to regaining eligibility.
Follow-up Testing: A student-athlete who has returned to participation in intercollegiate athletics following a positive test under this policy will be subject to follow-up testing throughout the remainder of their athletic eligibility. Testing will be unannounced and will be required at a frequency determined by the Director of Athletics or designee.
Testing Process
Upon notification by the Head Coach, Director of Athletics or designee, or Head Athletic Trainer, the student-athlete must present him- or herself at the specified collection site and at the designated time for testing. A designated outside agency will administer all drug tests under the supervision of the head coach or designee. All individuals responsible for specimen collection will be employed by the designated outside agency. Only those persons authorized by the institution will be allowed in the collection room.
- When arriving to the collection room, the student-athlete will provide photo identification, or a client representative will need to identify the student-athlete.
- The student-athlete will work with the testing collector to complete the necessary information before proceeding with the specimen collection process.
- The student-athlete will select a specimen collection beaker from a supply of such and provide a urine specimen.
- The testing collector will reasonably observe the furnishing of the urine specimen to assure the integrity of the specimen.
- The student-athlete will be responsible for keeping the collection beaker closed and controlled.
- If the specimen is incomplete, the student-athlete must remain in the collection room until a proper sample is completed. During this period, the student-athlete is responsible for keeping the collection beaker closed and controlled.
- If the specimen is incomplete and the student-athlete must leave the collection room for a reason approved by the testing collector, the specimen must be discarded.
- Upon return to the collection room, the student-athlete will begin the collection procedure again.
- Fluids and food given to student-athletes who have difficulty providing a sample must be from sealed containers (approved by the testing collector), opened and consumed in the collection room. These items must be free of any other banned substances.
- If a student-athlete is suspected of manipulating specimens (e.g., via dilution, substitution), the testing collector will collect another specimen from the student-athlete.
- Once the testing collector has determined the specimen is sufficient and has an amount necessary for testing, the sample will be processed and sent to the laboratory.
- The student-athlete is then released by the testing collector.
- If the laboratory determines that a student-athlete’s sample is inadequate for analysis, another sample may be collected at the discretion of the institution.
