ROBBINSVILLE, N.J. - Four athletes tested positive for steroids during the 2010-11 school year, NJSIAA officials announced Wednesday.
It was the most positive tests in the five-year history of the testing program. The previous high was two, said NJSIAA executive director Steve Timko.
"It only reinforces the need for testing and how important it is to maintain this program," Timko said. "One [positive test] is too many."
Timkos said that because of confidentiality rules, the NJSIAA could not say what sports or even what seasons were impacted by the positive tests. Under NJSIAA rules, an athlete who tests positive is banned from competition for one year but the school or team is not penalized.
Timko said the NJSIAA randomly tested 492 athletes from 86 schools after tournament games during the 2010-11 school year. In 2009-10, one athlete tested positive.
NJSIAA president Matt Jamison said the availability of "over-the-counter, synthetic steroids" might have contributed to the uptick in positive tests.
The NJSIAA contributes $50,000 toward the steroid testing program and received $50,000 from the state legislature. Timko said the NJSIAA is exploring additional funding as a way to expand the testing program.
School choice. Timko and Jamison downplayed the possible impact on athletics by the state's new school choice program, which allows students to attend a public school outside their district.
Timko said the sending school district still needs to sign a waiver form indicating the student has not changed schools for "athletic advantage." If a sending school does not sign a waiver form, a hearing would be held at the NJSIAA to determine the student's athletic eligibility.
Timko said no sending school has refused to sign the waiver.
"It's new, so we're going to have to keep a close eye on it," Timko said. "But we can only deal with whatever concerns are brought to us, and none have been brought to us."
Herbert honored. At its first executive committee meeting of the school year, NJSIAA officials observed a moment of silence for former NJSIAA legal counsel Mike Herbert, who died Monday of pancreatic cancer.
Herbert, 73, had been the NJSIAA's legal counsel since 1982.
"When Mike hired me 20 years ago, he told me, 'NJSIAA is the client closest to my heart,' " said Steven Goodell, a partner in Herbert's firm who will serve as the NJSIAA's new legal counsel.
Contact staff writer Phil Anastasia at 856-779-3223, panastasia@phillynews.com, or @PhilAnastasia on Twitter.
