The University of Waterloo football program was reeling last week after it was hit by the largest doping scandal in Canadian university sport history.
The news broke June 14 at a press conference held by the University of Waterloo, Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES). Bob Copeland, Waterloo’s athletic director, announced the suspension of the school’s football program for the 2010 season, as well as the placement of its coaches on paid administrative leave.
It was the arrest of a former Waterloo Warriors player for possession and trafficking of steroids that prompted the university’s decision to randomly test the entire squad back in March. After 82 samples were collected and tested, it was discovered that nine players had potentially committed doping infractions.
According to CBC, four players admitted to doping, three tested positive and one refused testing. Police are investigating the ninth case.
“Bob Copeland and the University of Waterloo are to be applauded for their immediate response to the situation,” said CIS CEO Marg McGregor at the press conference. CCES CEO Paul Melia also congratulated the university for its “bold and decisive” action.
With their 2010 season in jeopardy, the Warriors fought back. On June 17, members of the football team who tested clean held their own press conference in an attempt to reverse the suspension.
A major issue discussed at the conference was how innocent players were being punished for the actions of others. Luke Balch, the team’s quarterback, suggested that probation instead of suspension would have been a better solution. Balch also explained that although CIS changed its eligibility rules to allow Waterloo players to transfer without penalty, transferring was not an option for everyone.
“For myself, and four or five other guys on the team, we’re going to lose our senior year of football,” Balch said. “We’re not able to transfer due to academic reasons, so that’s it for us – no more football.”
The players gave the university until 1 p.m. June 18 to reverse its decision or else those able to transfer would begin the process. The deadline came and went without any change, marking the end of the Warriors’ campaign for reinstatement.
In light of this scandal, both CIS and the CCES acknowledged that changes need to be made to the current Canadian anti-doping program to prevent a similar situation from occurring in the future.
As Paul Melia stated at the June 14 press conference, the goal of the CIS moving forward is to "provide effective education earlier to our young athletes so they don’t grow up believing that the road to winning in sport is through the use of performance enhancing drugs.”