NCAA's Message to Athletes on Vitaminwater: Try It Carefully

Coca-Cola is a major corporate sponsor for the NCAA. Especially when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. Coke is also the corporate parent of Vitaminwater and those "Try it" commercials. That has led to a marketing agreement for vitaminwater to be on the sidelines of all of the NCAA Championships including the NCAA Tournament, and available to the players.

The problem is that of the fifteen flavors of vitaminwater, six have banned or impermissible substances in the ingredients that could result in a failed drug test by the player. A failed drug test, could cost the player a suspension or even losing his scholarship. Do not worry. The NCAA has a plan on how to handle this.

The first part of the plan is simple. None of the flavors with the banned and impermissible ingredients will be made available on the court to the players. They will be available for sale to those attending the game. No worries that there might be confusion or mistakenly stocking any of the wrong flavors down on the court. That could never happen.

As for the second prong is, well, the players are just going to have to know the risks.

The [Student-Athlete Advisory Committee] SAAC also heard from Latrice Sales, NCAA assistant director for health and safety, about issues in the drug-testing area, including the availability of Vitamin Water at NCAA championships. Some flavors of the product contain impermissible or banned substances, and the student-athletes believe that an aggressive educational effort will be necessary to help student-athletes understand that consuming some flavors of the drink could result in a positive drug test and the consequences that follow, including lost eligibility.

"An aggressive educational effort," over which beverages by a corporate sponsor are safe to drink? Because the corporate deal the NCAA set up could inadvertently screw over the student-athlete? Good to see the NCAA showing that concern for the student-athlete they like to stress.