Impaired Student-Athlete

Medical exclusion of an impaired student from an athletics program should occur only when the impairment presents a significant risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of the individual and/or other participants that cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodations. Before allowing any impaired student-athlete to participate in an athletics program, it is recommended that an institution require joint approval from the physician most familiar with the impaired student-athlete’s condition, the team physician, and an appropriate official of the institution, plus the parent(s) (NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook, 1999).