Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport

(Ottawa, Ontario – August 10, 2010) – The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES), Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and the Canadian Football League (CFL) held a media conference today (Tuesday, August 10, 2010), to announce a series of anti-doping measures that will be put in place immediately for university football players.

On March 31, the CCES conducted or attempted to conduct doping control tests on 62 University of Waterloo football players. A total of 82 sample collections were conducted or attempted. Sixty-one (61) of those sample collections were for urine and 20 were for blood. CCES is managing a total of nine cases related to the University of Waterloo testing.

The CCES conducted unannounced tests on CIS football players from universities across the country during the month of June with the help of the CIS and its member institutions who provided athletes’ performance records and information on their home locations. From those home visits, the CCES has confirmed two anti-doping rule violations and is managing one other potential violation.

“Naturally we’re very disappointed in the results of the home visit tests, as they signal that doping in CIS football is not an isolated occurrence,” said CIS chief executive officer Marg McGregor. “We have significant work to do to address the problem in a systematic and comprehensive manner and to protect the integrity and positive values of university football. We look forward to working with our partners to address the issue.”

 CCES will immediately launch an independent task force on the use of performance enhancing substances in football. The task force will look at the prevailing attitudes and trends, if any, towards the use of performance enhancement drugs and the extent to which they may be used in the sport of football. Depending on their findings, the task force may work across sectors to identify and develop recommendations on federal, provincial and municipal actions that may be taken to address the issue of performance enhancing drug use in football; and, provide recommendations for stakeholder actions that may be implemented to tackle the problem. On the basis of their findings during their examination of football, the task force may also comment on the situation that may exist more broadly within all of sport.

More details including the task force membership will be provided in the coming weeks.

CIS will host an Anti-Doping Symposium on Friday, November 26, in conjunction with the 2010 Vanier Cup at Université Laval in Quebec City. The Symposium will feature practical hands-on sessions designed for coaches and trainers. There will also be sessions tailored for athletic directors and senior administration to discuss policy, testing, and doping education approaches. The agenda will also include a presentation by the CCES Task Force on the use of Performance Enhancing Substances in Football on its findings and recommendations.

CCES will increase the number of tests allocated to the CIS football testing program by reallocating tests and focusing on the more at-risk periods during the off-season.

The CFL has agreed to:

• Identify, from the ranks of CIS teams, 80 top prospects each year for the CFL’s Evaluation Camp and Canadian Draft.
• Provide funding for more extensive testing of those top prospects.
• Participate in a public education program that emphasizes to minor football and CIS players that the best way to get to the pros is through dedication and hard work, not the use of performance enhancing drugs that pose a serious threat to an athlete’s health and the integrity of the game.

“Our sport, played with passion and integrity, is a tremendously positive influence on the lives of young athletes and the communities in which they live,” said Kevin McDonald, the CFL’s Director of Football Operations.

“We all share a responsibility to ensure that positive experience is not undermined by performance enhancing drugs. As role models for football players at every level, those of us privileged enough to be part of the CFL are working to fulfill that responsibility.”

Testing Results

From the out-of-season testing that occurred during the month of June, the CCES has confirmed two anti-doping rule violations and is managing one other potential violation.

A 3^rd year linebacker from Acadia University, Barrie Ontario native, Taylor Shadgett’s  urine sample returned an adverse analytical finding for Stanozolol a prohibited substance according to the 2010 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. Mr Shadgett admitted to the ingestion of the steroid Winstrol at the time of sample collection. Mr. Shadgett exercised his right to a hearing and received a sanction of two years ineligibility. The decision can be found at www.crdsc-sdrcc.ca.

“Acadia University supports the testing regime and suspension policies of the CCES and the CIS and is committed to the objectives of all sports organizations to achieve doping-free sport thereby protecting the rights of athletes to compete in a fair and ethical sport environment,” said Brian Heaney, Acadia’s director of varsity athletics.

A 2^nd year linebacker from the University of Windsor, Amherstburg Ontario native, Christopher Deneau’s urine sample returned an adverse analytical finding for the presence of  Methyl-1-testosterone, a prohibited substance according to the 2010 WADA Prohibited List. Mr. Deneau waived his right to a hearing and acknowledged the commission of an anti-doping rule violation. He received a sanction of a two-year period of ineligibility.

“This the first time a University of Windsor athlete has tested positive for performance enhancing drugs,” said Gord Grace, University of Windsor Director of Athletics. “We have a zero-tolerance policy and are fully supportive of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program.  All or our students are required to take online anti-doping education from the CCES and we augment that with presentations from an on-site CCES representative who is also a Drug Education consultant from the Windsor Essex County Health Unit. It’s a widespread message that we ensure is communicated to all our athletes without exception.”

From the 62 urine sample collections attempted at the University of Waterloo, CCES is managing a total of nine cases which include: one asserted refusal; a total of four admissions – two admissions occurred prior to the testing procedures and two admissions occurred at the time of sample collection; three adverse analytical findings; and two cases pending a police investigation.

To date, the CCES has closed a total of four of the cases: three admissions of an anti-doping rule violation and one adverse analytical finding for Tamoxifen, a prohibited substance according to the 2010 WADA Prohibited List.

The CCES is continuing to monitor the ongoing Waterloo Regional Police investigation into former University of Waterloo football players Nathan Zettler and Brandon Krukowski, both have been charged with possession of steroids for the purpose of trafficking. Trafficking in prohibited substances is also an anti-doping rule violation. These matters are in the process of review by the CCES and may result in further anti-doping assertions.

“Sport in Canada is a source of great community spirit and pride for Canadians of all ages. We all share a responsibility to ensure that young athletes don’t grow up believing that the route to winning or making the team is by using performance enhancing drugs,” said Mr. Doug MacQuarrie, CCES Chief Operating Officer. “Striving for excellence means to rise to the challenge to be the best you can be.  Doping steals this opportunity from the athlete, sport and our society as a whole. Cheating, such as doping, has no place in sport. On behalf of all Canadians, the CCES remains steadfast in its expectation that football, and all sport, be doping-free.”

About Canadian Interuniversity Sport

Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Fifty-one universities, 10,000 student-athletes and 550 coaches vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. CIS also provides high performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit www.cis-sic.ca.

About the CCES

The CCES is an independent, national, non-profit organization. Our mission, to foster ethical sport for all Canadians, is carried out through research, promotion, education, detection and deterrence, as well as through programs and partnerships with other organizations. For further information, visit www.cces.ca.

Related Content:  CCES/CIS/CFL Media Conference Speaking Notes

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Media Backgrounders:

• Testing University of Waterloo Football Team 2010
• CCES Testing Under the Canadian Anti-Doping Program

For further information, please contact:

Michel Bélanger
Manager, Communications & Media Relations
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Tel: 613-562-5670 ext. 25
Cell: 613-447-6334
[email protected]

Marg McGregor
Chief Executive Officer
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Tel: 613-562-5670 ext. 26
Cell: 613-612-2551
[email protected]