Last year Semoy Hackett, LSU, tested positive for a stimulant at the NCAA out door track championship. It appears that NCAA still has not reported it to her nation. The delay allowed her to compete in the Olympics and she has not been given a lifetime ban for her second positive test. In August 2011 at her national championships she had tested positive for the SAME stimulant and received a 6-month ban. She may have red-shirted 2011-12 indoors for LSU but TFRRS show she competed in at least one meet during the 6-month ban.
The testing at the NCAA championship meets is usually the winner and a few random athletes. The chance of being randomly selected is less than 5 %. My estimate is over 75% of All-Americans have never been PED tested. The NCAA lists the “punishment” for anabolic steroids to be a one-year ban from competition. A positive test doesn’t seem to have any consequences for the athlete or the school. No loss of scholarship money. No loss of performance(s). WADA is seeking a four year ban for anabolic steroids.
This article names schools that allow athletes to compete after a positive test.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/20/college-football-steroids-ncaa-testing_n_2337326.html
in addition the regular track and field budgets, every NCAA school spent thousands of dollars taking their national caliber athletes, trainers, coaches, and administrators to big meets to get qualifying marks, paid living stipends for athletes to train on campus over breaks and up to the national championships. I believe that less than 1% of the NCAA track and field athletes participating in the NCAA national championships have ever had a $200-$800 PED test administered by their school. The NCAA urine drug testing athletes undergo is sent for the cheapest testing possible. The schools do not have to worry about too many athletes getting a positive groovy 70s LSD test.
In 2009 only 18% of Football Bowl Division schools even tested for anabolic steroids. The reason given is lack of interest by NCAA member institutions.
My feeling is that a social media movement is needed to get the NCAA to change. It is too late this season to affect the DII and DIII schools but if every Athletic Director of a DI school with track and field athletes who qualify for the NCAA championship s is asked to test their athletes before sending them in two and a half weeks it would be a start. Would LetsRun.com publish a list of programs that test? If a fund existed would you contribute a small amount this year for increased testing at the NCAA meet with transparency and consequences of results? What ideas do you have to create a NCAA track and field culture change?