There were no calls for dismissals, no indication the University of Waterloo overreacted in its decision to suspend its Warriors football team for the 2010 season because of nine adverse drug tests.
Instead, the internal review - conducted by two university-appointed individuals and released Wednesday - concluded the coaches and athletic department staff acted appropriately in dealing with a football program riddled with performance-enhancing drug use.
According to Waterloo's athletic director, the tone of the review was never meant to be police-like, even though it was lead by former Waterloo Regional Police chief Larry Gravill and assisted by Waterloo professor emerita Mary Thompson, a statistics expert.
"The intent of the report was never to be a witch hunt, a full investigation," Waterloo athletic director Bob Copeland said. "It was done to evaluate the [drug]issue and understand the locker-room culture. People can make their own observations on the report. I know it was done by two extremely capable individuals of the highest integrity."
While coaches, administrative staff, team trainers and as many as 14 football players were interviewed, much of the questioning had to do with who knew what as a way of understanding how team athletes function and maintain secrets, even from one another. There was, however, one curious aspect noted in the review.
The Globe and Mail reported two months ago that the Warriors coaches had suspected a player was using steroids last fall, and had taken those concerns to the athletic department. The player, Nathan Zettler, denied the allegations.
Zettler was arrested earlier this year and charged with possession of banned substances for the purpose of trafficking. A second player also suspected of steroid use, Brandon Krukowski, has been charged with trafficking. All charges against Mr. Krukowski later were withdrawn in Kitchener Provincial Court.
At first, Waterloo officials insisted there were no specific drug accusations and the coaches were worried about the player's attitude. But the review noted: "UW staff were mistaken in advising that no such allegation had been made. We are assured that improvements will be implemented in reporting policies and the thresholds for passing information up to higher UW authorities."
"That's where we need to be very systematic and thoughtful," said Copeland, who had the entire football team tested by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports after Zettler was arrested in March. "We need criteria to look at a situation - first-hand knowledge, physical performance, screening programs. We need direction from [Canadian Interuniversity Sport]and CCES to provide areas where there are certain measures that constitute a target test. ... You need specifics. It can't be McCarthyism on steroids."
Head football coach Dennis McPhee, who had been on paid leave during the two-month review process and ordered not to speak to the media, said the past few months had been both stressful and educational.
"I've learned kids are hard-wired to make decisions that may not be the best. What they say and do are sometimes two different things," McPhee said. "I'm just happy the report came out the way it did. I'm standing by it. It was difficult for everybody but it happened."
McPhee and the bulk of his coaching staff, including former CFL coach Joe Paopao, will be working with 60 players this season, even though the Warriors will not be competing in CIS football games. There will be five controlled scrimmages against scout teams, consisting solely of backup players, from McMaster, Guelph, Western Ontario, Windsor and Wilfrid Laurier, and other training initiatives.
"The university has afforded us a chance to give the kids the best football experience we can," McPhee said.
As for those who believe Waterloo went too far in suspending the entire team, thereby punishing the majority of players who were drug-free, Copeland said he understood the frustration, but maintained a bigger cause was in play.
"The university, in making that decision, had to take a broader, long-term view for the health of our students. Testing and suspending the team has attracted a lot of attention to the issue," Copeland said. "It's been a wake-up call for Waterloo, for the CIS, CCES and the CFL. This is the silver lining ..."
Waterloo will officially open its football camp on Aug. 29.
The school is also staging a number of educational seminars on performance-enhancing drugs, including a two-day lecture given by Don Hooton, whose teenaged son, Taylor, used steroids, battled with depression and eventually committed suicide.