Ledyard Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Policy

The Athletic Department drug, alcohol and tobacco policy is under the umbrella of the Ledyard Board of Education’s Alcohol, Drugs, and Tobacco Regulation policy 5131.6. Ledyard High School strongly believes that participation in high school athletics is a privilege and not a right. The following policies and procedures apply to all CIAC controlled activities sponsored by the school. It is the policy of the schools to take positive action through education, counseling, parental involvement, medical referral, and police referral in the handling of incidents in the schools involving the possession, sale, and/or use of behavior affecting substances. Furthermore, any student-athlete charged with using, possessing, or aiding in the procurement of controlled substances, alcohol or drug paraphernalia by law enforcement at any time during the season during or beyond the school day will be subject to the following regulations:

A. The affected student-athlete will be suspended from all sports participation for ten (10) school days and any weekend practice or contest during that time. Any student-athlete that is found to be using any tobacco product will be suspended for a period of five (5) school days and any weekend practice or contest during that time. 1) The student-athlete and family will be referred by a building administrator to an appropriate agency licensed to assess and treat drug/alcohol-involved individuals at the student’s own expense. 2) If the evaluation is not scheduled within the suspension period, the student-athlete will remain on suspension until one is made.

B. If a licensed drug and alcohol agency prescribes a program, the affected student-athlete will complete the program. Completion of a prescribed program involves written verification of completion signed by the treatment agency. Failure to complete any prescribed program will result in removal from the team.

C. Any student-athlete charged a second time will be removed from the team for the remainder of that sport season.

D. If the student wishes to participate in a sport in the next season, he/she must satisfy the requirements of sections 1 and 2 under letter A and letter B of this policy.

E. Any student-athlete charged with using, possession, or aiding in the procurement of controlled substances, alcohol or drug paraphernalia by law enforcement prior to the start of their athletic season, must perform 10 hours of community service approved by the Athletic Department before their sport season begins.

F. Anabolic steroids, hormones and analogues, diuretics, and other performance enhancing substances are addressed by the policy and procedures and the CIAC my impose sanctions beyond those applied in this document for use of these substances by athletes.

4.15. I. Performance Enhancing Drugs Minimum Penalty

A student-athlete who has been determined to have used, in or out-of-season, androgenic/anabolic steroids or other performance enhancing substances shall be declared ineligible for all CIAC-controlled activities for one hundred eighty (180) school days on each occurrence. The one hundred eighty (180) school day period of ineligibility commences on the day the CIAC Board of Control makes such determination. Any student athlete who refuses to submit to testing as part of a member school’s Board of Education-approved random drug testing policy shall be ineligible to participate in any CIAC-controlled activities. All CIAC contests/games/tournaments/championships in which the offending athlete participated while under the influence of performance enhancing substances shall be declared forfeitures and all records will be expunged. A member school may apply to the CIAC Board of Control for reinstatement of the athlete’s eligibility to participate in CIAC controlled activities. Any such application must include:

a. The results of a CIAC-approved medically validated drug test which confirms that the student-athlete is chemical free. The test must have been completed within 30 days prior to the application. The CIAC shall not be responsible for any expenses related to this testing.

b. A statement of the compelling circumstances on which the member school bases its application for reinstatement of the athletes’ eligibility.

Performance enhancing substances and practices subject to this policy include but are not limited to, the following:

a. Anabolic Agents, Diuretics, Peptide Hormones and Analogues.

b. Blood doping (intravenous injection of whole blood, packed red blood cells, or blood substitutes).

c. Substances and practices identified as banned by the NCAA and the USOC.

The CIAC allows member schools to make exceptions for those student-athletes with a documented medical history demonstrating the need for regular use of substances that are banned in this policy. These identified substances shall be medically prescribed by the student-athlete’s doctor for therapeutic purposes. The documentation should contain information as to the diagnosis, medical history and dosage prescribed.