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NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports Summer Meeting Highlights
Executive Summary
Last month, the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (CSMAS) held its Summer Meeting in Indianapolis.
CSMAS reviewed a variety of health and safety themes including transgender student-athlete participation, mental health, and drug testing.
CSMAS discussed whether cannabinoid testing should remain part of the NCAA Drug Testing Program.
CSMAS approved sport-specific testosterone thresholds and deadlines for submission of eligibility documentation for competitions during the 2022-23 academic year.
CSMAS will look to collaborate with divisional Student-Athlete Advisory Committees to better leverage and deploy mental health education materials and enhance ways in which schools can support student-athletes’ mental health.
The NCAA’s Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (CSMAS) met for its summer meetings last month in Indianapolis. According to the NCAA, the meeting focused on membership health and safety priorities, implementation of the NCAA transgender student-athlete participation policy, drug testing and more.
Health and safety priorities
CSMAS began a review of the membership's nine health and safety strategic priorities in response to Association responsibilities outlined in the new NCAA constitution. The committee, in collaboration with the membership, will explore options to align the priorities with the Association's commitment to student-athlete physical and mental health, safety and performance as described in the constitution.
Additionally, the committee approved a standardized process to identify and maintain evidence- and consensus-based health, safety and performance guidance when requested by relevant committees or the membership, and the committee plans to use previous examples of advisory group processes as it moves forward.
Transgender student-athlete participation policy
CSMAS continued to discuss the NCAA transgender student-athlete participation policy, which was recently updated and will enter the second phase of implementation during the 2022-23 academic year.
The committee approved sport-specific testosterone thresholds and deadlines for submission of eligibility documentation for competitions during the 2022-23 academic year. The approved thresholds align with sport-specific governing body policies.
CSMAS considered several clarifications intended to operationalize Phase 2 of the policy and plans to communicate additional information about this work to membership later this year.
Mental health
The committee reaffirmed the importance of supporting student-athletes' mental health and discussed resources available to the membership. CSMAS supported further collaboration with divisional Student-Athlete Advisory Committees to identify and deploy relevant education materials and consider alternative ways that member schools can support their student-athletes.
Drug testing and cannabinoids
CSMAS considered referrals from Divisions II and III to continue discussing whether cannabinoid testing should remain part of the NCAA Drug Testing Program. The referrals suggested that NCAA regulation be limited to performance enhancing substances and that other substances subject to potential student-athlete misuse be managed at the conference or institutional level.
The committee referred this item to its drug testing subcommittee and noted discussion will be further informed by a Cannabis Summit that is expected to be hosted by the NCAA's Sport Science Institute later this year.
Other Topics on Committee Radar
The Committee’s agenda also positioned the Committee to review the 2022-23 Drug Testing Manual, receive a report from the Drug Free Sport International, review a survey of Coaches’ COVID-19 experience, and consideration of a Concussion Safety Protocol Review recommendation.
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