MAY 17, 2015

NR # 3834

Mandatory drug tests for professional and non-professional athletes

Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has proposed under
HB 5690 the mandatory drug tests for all professional and non-professional athletes in the
country.
HB 5690 is entitled An Act requiring drug tests for professional and non-professional
athletes, amending for the purpose Section 36 of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the
Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and for other purposes.
Fitness and health are among the primary concerns of athletes. Since the use of
performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) have negative side effects on the body, athletes should be
prevented from using such substances. PEDs do not only damage the body, they are also
considered as cheats in the sports world, Arroyo said.
Article 3 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act requires drug testing for specific
individuals. Among those required to undergo drug testing are applicant for drivers license,
applicants for firearms license, employees of private and public offices, students, among others.
The list provided in Article 3 does not include the countrys athletes, Arroyo noted.
Arroyo said that a big part of an athletes career is dedicated on intense physical training
and strenuous exercise to stay in shape, which is key to a successful career in sports. Athletes, she
added, face constant pressure to improve their skills and abilities to remain at a competitive level
and increase their chances of winning.
The competitive drive to win can be fierce. Some take it very seriously that they result to
taking performance-enhancing drugs, she pointed out.
PEDs are substances that boost the bodys physical capabilities and therefore improve
ones performance. But taking PEDs have its consequences as these may, according to medical
experts, cause hypertension, heart problems, and psychiatric disorders, among several other
serious illnesses, the author explained.
Arroyo stressed that her bill, now referred to the Committee on Dangerous Drugs, does not
only seek to protect Filipino athletes from the harmful effects of PEDs, it will also show that the
Philippines does not tolerate the use of dangerous drugs to enhance performance of its athletes.
And more important, the bill will compel athletes to put in the necessary hard work,
discipline and determination to attain success without the use of PEDs, she concluded. (30) dpt