USA Track & Field will continue its youth-focused anti-doping efforts in 2009 by continuing educational outreach efforts and, for the first time, conducting in-competition drug testing at youth championship events. The Win With Integrity - Clean Kids Program is a partnership with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and is tied to USATF's Win With Integrity youth outreach program.
In 2008, USATF worked with USADA to distribute educational materials on drug testing and other anti-doping information to youth athletes at USATF's three youth national championship events. Additionally, athletes in the Youth, Intermediate, and Young divisions were required to view USADA's Doping Control Process video, which highlights the processes and procedures that occur during an in-competition drug test. In 2009, USATF will continue to provide educational materials to athletes and has created a new Win With Integrity - Clean Kids Program web page specific to enhancing the educational outreach on the anti-doping initiative.
"'Clean Kids' is critical to our mission of eradicating performance enhancing drugs from our sport and positively impacting society as a whole," said USATF CEO Doug Logan. "If we can help these young athletes understand that using drugs is an unethical choice that is wrong for them, wrong for the sport and wrong for their health, then we have taken one step forward in this fight."
In 2009, drug testing will be conducted at the World Youth Trials and USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Ypsilanti, Mich.; USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships in Greensboro, N.C.; and the USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships in Reno, Nev. Athletes in the Intermediate and Young divisions will be subject to drug testing conducted by USADA.
To learn more about the Win with Integrity - Clean Kids Program visit www.usatf.org/youth.
About USA Track & Field
USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States.
For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org
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