The Pacific Index, the student newspaper of Pacific University in Oregon, revealed that most student-athletes at most NCAA Division III schools do not ever have to worry about being tested for anabolic steroids or performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). The revelation may seem like an April Fool’s joke to the general public but it is a well-known fact among DIII football players and other collegiate athletes.
The student journalists CarrieAnn Randolph and Holly Bartholomew explain that DIII athletes are subject to the same NCAA anti-doping rules as athletes at bigger schools. The rules simply aren’t strictly enforced at the DIII level primarily due to the exorbitant costs associated with comprehensive anti-doping tests.
Lauren Esbensen, the Associate Athletic Director for Pacific University, told the student newspaper that the lack of testing reflects the limited funding of DIII schools when compared to DI schools. The degree of drug testing (or lack thereof) at Pacific University is comparable to other DIII schools in the Northwest Conference.
“You will really only see multiple types of drug testing – institutional, conference and NCAA drug testing – at some of the larger institutions that are DI, and I think it has a lot to do with likelihood of use and money,” said Esbensen
Esbensen added that Pacific University reserves the right to test any student-athlete suspected of using illegal and/or prohibited drugs. But this isn’t a common occurrence. Student-athletes may go untested during their entire collegiate careers unless they compete in NCAA regional or national competition.
Most Division III schools only mandate some form of anti-doping testing at championship events.
The NCAA could theoretically come to any DIII university and conduct random and unannounced drug tests on athletes. But DIII student-athletes know this isn’t a very likely occurrence.
Eric Harder, a 2015 Pacific University alumnus who competed at the 2015 NCAA Wrestling National Championships, confirmed the surprising lack of steroid testing at Pacific University.
“I was surprised, all four years I wrestled at Pacific I never got drug tested until I made it to Nationals,” said Harder.
Randolph and Bartholomew suggest that steroid and PED use isn’t really a problem at DIII schools because their athletes don’t face the same “pressure to perform” as DI student-athletes. This is most likely wishful thinking.
Steroid use has consistently proven to be a problem at every level of sport. While the deterrence effect of drug testing is debatable, it is beyond dispute that the absence of drug testing creates a fertile environment for PED experimentation.
What does this mean? Quite simply – steroid use is rampant in DIII.