Len Bias chose to celebrate, as any person would, when he was picked as a first-round draft choice for the World Champion Boston Celtics in June of 1986.

Unfortunately for Bias, that one moment of glory is all he will ever receive as he was found dead in his dorm room after overdosing on cocaine.

The problem of drugs in intercollegiate athletics has become obvious, but the solution of drug testing has gone almost no where.

The NCAA guidelines for drug testing only involve teams that advance to championship games or bowls, which is almost an open invitation for players to use drugs during the regular season.

“Drug testing is for the kids protection. We want to do everything we can to prevent a tragedy,” said NIU men’s basketball coach Jim Rosborough. “What’s fair for the kids is fair for the staff.

“I’m all for testing the managers, staff, trainers, as well as myself, to prove as an indicator that we’re serious about it.”

NIU Vice President for Student Affairs Jon Dalton said despite plans, “the issue of implementing drug testing is a dead issue.”

But Dalton also said the university is receiving a federal grant to institute a drug education program. The program will in no way involve testing. It just gives information on education and treatment.

NIU football coach Jerry Pettibone has taken advantage of the program. He starts early in the season by bringing in experts such as drug enforcement agencies and the FBI.

“We educate the athletes on how the problem can ruin their lives, not just their eligibility and careers,” Pettibone said. “But there are always those who don’t listen.

“We try and discourage them in as many ways as we can. Hopefully, as mature young adults, they’ll make the decision to stay away from drugs.”

But this decision is not always made, and the battle between schools in NCAA competition remains an unfair one.

“It’s not fair to the other kid who works just as hard or harder,” men’s tennis coach Carl Neufeld said. “I don’t see why people should have a problem with testing as long as the people who test positive aren’t publicly ostricized.

“The ones who have done drugs have seen that they’ve won because of them, which only promotes it.”

As to whether or not the present rule is effective, NIU women’s golf coach Pam Tyska said it is a “step in the right direction.”

“If it can help even one percent of the kids, it’s worth it,” Tyska said.