Who's Got Game? Candidates on Sports

A McCain administration would continue an aggressive prosecutorial approach, and will focus more on educating our youth about the destructive effects of these substances. And it's not just performance-enhancing drugs. Our kids are obtaining prescription drugs over the Internet at an alarming rate. His administration would encourage schools to include lessons concerning the adverse health effects of these substances as part of physical education, and disseminate these educational messages at the grassroots level. In addition, my administration would ensure that dietary supplement manufacturers are in compliance with the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act (DSHEA) and not seeking shelter for substances that were never intended to be protected under the Act. A McCain administration would continue to pressure professional sports leagues to adopt zero-tolerance doping policies, and ensure that the Olympic athletes that represent our Nation do so with honor. Also, a McCain administration will provide the necessary support to research laboratories that are working to outpace the science developed by those who seek substances undetectable to testing.

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Obama: As a father and an avid sports fan, I understand the dangers that performance enhancing drugs pose for athletes, as well as the teenagers who seek to emulate them, not to mention the effect that these drugs have on the integrity of sports. As president, I would use the bully pulpit of my office to warn Americans about the dangers of performance enhancing drugs, and I would put greater resources into enforcement of existing drug laws. I would also convene a summit of the commissioners of the professional sports leagues, as well as university presidents, to explore options for decreasing the use of these drugs.

2. Title IX has been an important factor in expanding athletic participation for girls and women. What do you think of the way the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has enforced the law under the Bush administration? Would your administration enforce Title IX differently? And if so, in what ways?

Clinton: Senator Clinton supports Title IX and is pleased that is has provided interested girls and women more opportunities to participate in athletics than they had before it was implemented. Since Title IX became law in 1972, participation by girls in high school sports has increased by 800 percent; participation by young women in college athletics has increased by 400 percent. Title IX has allowed women and girls to compete at the highest levels, and even to earn athletic scholarships to college – something that was not possible prior to 1972. Senator Clinton would work to ensure that Title IX is implemented fairly, and that it continues to make progress towards equal opportunity for women and girls in sports. She has been critical of the Bush Administration?s efforts to undermine Title IX, and she agreed with the NCAA that interest surveys, where non-response could be used as evidence of non-interest, were not an accurate way to gauge students? interest in sports. As president, Senator Clinton would support Title IX athletics policies that are fair, flexible and continue to open doors for millions of young women and girls in sports.