Can my child be drug tested at school or at a school sport event?

Question

Accepted Answer

Yes, in two different ways. 1. SAIDS doping control at sport events. The SAIDS Anti-Doping Rules bind every athlete who takes part in events, competitions and activities organised, authorised or recognised by a South African national federation or its members (provinces, clubs, leagues), at any age. A learner playing in a federation-sanctioned tournament can be selected for testing like any other athlete. 2. School drug testing under the South African Schools Act (section 8A). Since 24 December 2024, "drug" in the Act expressly includes performance-enhancing and prohibited substances as well as illegal drugs. The principal or delegate may: administer a urine or other non-invasive test to a learner or group of learners reasonably suspected of using liquor or drugs, after weighing the learners' best interests, safety and the evidence; only test using a person of the same gender, in a private area out of view of other learners, with one adult witness of the same gender, using the device the Minister has gazetted. The school must tell the parent within one working day (if practicable) that a test was done, and tell the learner and parent the result as soon as it is available. A positive result can lead to disciplinary proceedings under the school's code of conduct, but the school may not bring criminal proceedings against the learner because of the test.