Tipped Off
10-25-2006, 11:19 AM
Players ready to live with league's new drug tests
Giants say everyone has had plenty of warning
Ian Walker, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, October 25, 2006
They were a hot topic among the Vancouver Giants on Tuesday.
Name your pick. Steroids. Marijuana. Ephedrine. All readily available. All now banned by the Canadian Hockey League.
"I think it's good -- it puts everyone on a level playing field," said Giants defenceman Cody Franson, on the eve of the CHL's joint announcement with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport that it will implement league-wide drug testing this season.
The list of illegal drugs is identical to that of the World Anti-Doping Agency. The tests will be conducted by the CCES.
It's expected the Western Hockey League will test about 25-30 players this season, before bumping that number up to 50-60 next season and 75-80 for 2008-09. A first-time offence brings a suspension of five to 10 games, a second offence a 25-game ban and a third offence a two-year suspension.
Western and Ontario league general managers, coaches and trainers were made aware during summer meetings that random testing would be implemented this year and they passed basic details on to players at training camp.
"If guys get caught --shame on them. It's not like they didn't know," continued Franson.
Starting next month, in-depth seminars will be given to teams on which substances will be legal and which ones won't. The teams will be required to pass that information on to the players, with random testing to begin in January.
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has conducted drug tests for the past two seasons as a test case for the other two leagues. There has been one positive drug test -- for ephedrine -- in the QMJHL since testing began.
"I'd be shocked if anyone gets caught -- especially for steroids," said Giants winger J.D. Watt, a third-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2004. "The game's changed. I remember going into camp with Calgary last year and they wanted me to be five pounds heavier and stronger. This year was the exact opposite. It's all about speed and quickness now."
Giants athletic trainer Cory Cameron applauds the move, adding drug testing in junior hockey has been needed for quite a while. The league is made up of impressionable youth and, with professional contracts at stake, it's tempting for some to take something to improve performance.
"I think the education part is a huge part of this and should set a lot of players straight," said Cameron. "Not just the possibility of suspension, but the negative effects of putting these banned substances in your body."
Another deterrent is the embarrassment for the player, his family and team -- not to mention the stigma that would accompany an offender throughout his career.
"It's not just you, but the organization, too," said centre Tim Kraus. "I know on this team, guys don't want to disappoint anyone. It's that way on the ice and it will be the same with this off the ice. There's more at stake than ourselves."
Still, a positive test or two league-wide wouldn't come as a total shock to some. Giants strength and conditioning coach Ian Gallagher has worked with hockey players for the better part of 18 years and said there's always going to be those who refuse to listen.
"Sometimes we're all surprised by what bad choices good kids can make," he said.
Head coach Don Hay shares his colleague's opinion.
"I'm not so naive to think players in our league haven't tried the things that we're now going to be testing for," said Hay. "Hopefully, now the ramifications of getting caught will convince them otherwise."
Giants say everyone has had plenty of warning
Ian Walker, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, October 25, 2006
They were a hot topic among the Vancouver Giants on Tuesday.
Name your pick. Steroids. Marijuana. Ephedrine. All readily available. All now banned by the Canadian Hockey League.
"I think it's good -- it puts everyone on a level playing field," said Giants defenceman Cody Franson, on the eve of the CHL's joint announcement with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport that it will implement league-wide drug testing this season.
The list of illegal drugs is identical to that of the World Anti-Doping Agency. The tests will be conducted by the CCES.
It's expected the Western Hockey League will test about 25-30 players this season, before bumping that number up to 50-60 next season and 75-80 for 2008-09. A first-time offence brings a suspension of five to 10 games, a second offence a 25-game ban and a third offence a two-year suspension.
Western and Ontario league general managers, coaches and trainers were made aware during summer meetings that random testing would be implemented this year and they passed basic details on to players at training camp.
"If guys get caught --shame on them. It's not like they didn't know," continued Franson.
Starting next month, in-depth seminars will be given to teams on which substances will be legal and which ones won't. The teams will be required to pass that information on to the players, with random testing to begin in January.
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has conducted drug tests for the past two seasons as a test case for the other two leagues. There has been one positive drug test -- for ephedrine -- in the QMJHL since testing began.
"I'd be shocked if anyone gets caught -- especially for steroids," said Giants winger J.D. Watt, a third-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2004. "The game's changed. I remember going into camp with Calgary last year and they wanted me to be five pounds heavier and stronger. This year was the exact opposite. It's all about speed and quickness now."
Giants athletic trainer Cory Cameron applauds the move, adding drug testing in junior hockey has been needed for quite a while. The league is made up of impressionable youth and, with professional contracts at stake, it's tempting for some to take something to improve performance.
"I think the education part is a huge part of this and should set a lot of players straight," said Cameron. "Not just the possibility of suspension, but the negative effects of putting these banned substances in your body."
Another deterrent is the embarrassment for the player, his family and team -- not to mention the stigma that would accompany an offender throughout his career.
"It's not just you, but the organization, too," said centre Tim Kraus. "I know on this team, guys don't want to disappoint anyone. It's that way on the ice and it will be the same with this off the ice. There's more at stake than ourselves."
Still, a positive test or two league-wide wouldn't come as a total shock to some. Giants strength and conditioning coach Ian Gallagher has worked with hockey players for the better part of 18 years and said there's always going to be those who refuse to listen.
"Sometimes we're all surprised by what bad choices good kids can make," he said.
Head coach Don Hay shares his colleague's opinion.
"I'm not so naive to think players in our league haven't tried the things that we're now going to be testing for," said Hay. "Hopefully, now the ramifications of getting caught will convince them otherwise."