Transcripts For CSPAN2 Hearing Focuses On Athlete Safety 201

Sexual abuse and dealt with at the olympic level. This is two hours and 15 minutes. Good morning and welcome to todays hearing. It is no exaggeration to say that americans love sports. We love watching them, playing them, collecting Sports Memorabilia and even arguing about our favorite teams and athletes. Whether it is watching the super bowl with friends, joining an office bracket pool for march madness or stretching out for the turkey trot 5k races on things giving morning. And a pickup Football Game later that afternoon. We love our sports personally, i made doctors and a packers fan. Some of my best moments have been spent competing in sports or cheering on my two daughters at their meats and games. This committee is committed to promoting american success and international competition. Ensuring exciting play in that the professional leagues providing opportunity for student athletes and maintaining a vibrant sports culture. At the same time protecting the health and safety of american athletes of all levels. Professional, amateur, student and youth. A longstanding priority of the Commerce Committee. The issue of sexual abuse within the United States Olympic Movement has received considerable Media Attention in recent months. Troubling nature of these reports trigger the committees inquiry into the ability of the Us Olympic Committee and the National Governing bodies for individual sports to conduct effective timely and impartial investigations into allegations of abuse. Im glad that the United States senator josc sports is here to discuss the centers work to discuss these athletes. While they believe that nothing prevents them from taking immediate steps to reason move a suspected predator from being in contact with athletes, it is also clear that certain stakeholders have at times some confusion about the legal requirements of the test he was olympic and amateur sports act and manufactured ambiguities behind which to hide. I am pleased that senator feinstein and colleagues on the Judiciary Committee havent advanced legislation on the issue and i look forward to working with her to strengthen her bill at his advances to the full senate. Specifically legislation to address the issue must include unambiguous language, clarifying that it is the responsibility of our olympic leaders to provide an environment that is free from abuse. In the same way congress codified the United States Antidoping Agency to combat use of performanceenhancing drugs in 2001. I believe we should authorize the us center for safe sport as an independent organization with expertise to investigate and adjudicate abuse allegations as they arise. Speaking of antidoping, i am pleased that we are doing here today by olympic medalist and sport investor Lauryn Williams. Who will testify on behalf of the committee since that time has been active on a number of sport issues. For instance in 2016 following the revelation of an elaborate doping Program Sponsored by the russian government they conducted oversight of the world Antidoping Agency response prompting the agency to appoint a new independent investigator and to expand the scope of investigation. Following every analysis of samples collected during the 2008 olympics. And to award the bronze medal to an american just last month. The issue of prescription opioids to treat sports injuries is another growing concern. In particular because of the addiction and overdose risk that they carry. The Substance Abuse and misuse. While the media has focused recent attention on the use of prescription of drugs and professional sport leagues, the issue impacts all athletes including at the high school and collegiate levels. While i wish she were here under different circumstances, and whether we are joined by Maureen Deutsche and her husband who will testify about the family tragedy involving the loss of their son nick to opioid painkillers. Maureen and jeff i am deeply sorry for your loss and thank you for your bravery in sharing your story with us today. Finally the issue of concussions in the sports is a longstanding issue. This committee has sought to address. Concussions are common injuries among athletes participating in Contact Sports and are among the most complex injuries to managing Sports Medicine. The committee has conducted oversight of efforts to prevent and mitigate the occurrence of concussions in sports including game rule changes, coaching and player education guidelines as well as the development of brain injury and equipment research. Doctor jay Clarence Butler m. D. Of the department of health and social services mr. Scott sailor, president of the National Athletic Trainers Association and doctor robert stern of Boston University schoolof medicine will be able to speak with us to this issue. I would like to thank you all for being here today and i look forward to hearing your testimony and the opportunity for you to interact with members of the committee and give us a chance to ask questions. With that i will yield to the distinguished senator from florida Ranking Member senator nelson. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I think this is an opportunity as the chairman has said to start a conversation about what more can be done to protect americas athletes. Obviously, we must protect the Young Athletes. Some of whom are children. They are starting early. They are training for the olympics. Obviously, we were all shocked by the revelations of widespread sexual abuse in usa gymnastics. Usa tae kwon do and other olympic sports. Even more appalling was evidence that responsible adults were indifferent and look the other way when so many young victims can be horribly abused by adults for so long without repercussions. It is a stand on americas proud olympic heritage. So, we in Congress Need to respond. To this travesty. I, along with many others are sponsors of the act that has, the builder has been introduced and this bill would require immediate reporting of sexual abuse allegations require National Governing bodies to adopt strict protocol and measures to protect children. And make it easier for victims to come forward and report to the authorities. We also need, as the chairman has already outlined very well, to examine athletic doping at the interNational Level. You know, there was a time when we thought of the olympics and we thought it this was above reproach and what now we think of olympics . You think of the scandals that have been revealed in the doping. Well, over 100 russian athletes were banned from the Olympic Games in rio. We should address attacks unclean drugfree sports and protect athletes who do things the right way. And then, the issue of head injuries. It is something that is becoming alarming. Each one of us more than likely has had a fellow athlete friend along the way that has had concussions. And now at our ages later, we are seeing the manifestations of those concussions. Concussions and cte are not limited to pro sports. It is about kids and the devastating effects on their developing young brains. And i want to recognize and command senator udall who is with us and has been a champion and leader on this issue. His dedication preventing concussions and youth athletics safety is well known to everyone here. I want to thank him on behalf of the committee. For raising awareness about this very troubling issue. Thank you, mr. Chairman. You senator nelson. I want to recognize for an introduction one of our panels today. Senator sullivan. He introduced doctor butler followed by senator markey and then doctor stern. Senator sullivan. Thank you and Ranking Members for holiness important hearing. I do want to recognize doctor j butler that came from the great state of alaska to testify today. Doctor butler does great work in the state of alaska. He is essentially the states Surgeon General. Although it is not enough, doctor butler has committed his time and efforts across the state. Billy across the country to help stymie the Opioid Epidemic that is raging through alaska like it is and so many of the other states in the United States. His efforts have included education and awareness on the dangers of opioid use. Especially for our young alaskans. Aiding in the distribution of naloxone and nonmedical personnel and facilities and currently serving as the president of the association of state and Territorial Health officials representing the state of alaska and his position of direct Republic Health and the chief medical officer for the state and i will not go through his extensive resume but we will just mention briefly mr. Chairman my experience with doctor butler. We worked together last year when we put on a summit. A wellness summit in the states. It was focused on conquering the opioid crisis. And doctor butler was instrumental in the success of the summit. Over 500 alaskans, several hundred more online showed up at the summit. He participated in planning on the steering committee, he interviewed the United States Surgeon General for a fireside chat and moderated the discussion at the summit. I just want to thank you for again traveling from alaska. All of the work is doing in our state and participating on the National Level on this important issue that crosses partisan lines. This is an issue that is impacting every single state in our great nation and doctor butler is a leader in this. Not only in alaska but in our country. Thank you. Thank you senator sullivan. Nice to have you. Senator markey. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Doctor robert stern is a professor at the University School of medicine and director of Clinical Research for the chronic traumatic encephalopathy center. This is a neurodegenerative disease. While it focuses on repeating brain coming up with the known best for his work on alzheimers disease as well as as he is the director of the clinical transfer at the alzheimers disease sector. So throughout his career, he has won multiple national and federally funded grants for his work. He has published more than 250 journal articles, chapters and abstracts in his field and he is a fellow of both the American Neuropsychiatric Association and the American Academy of neuropsychology. I want to thank you doctor for all of the work which you have done on the brain and helping to explain not only alzheimers and the pathways that are possible for funding if for finding a cure. But also you have become the National Leader and i want to thank you for that. Thank you senator markey. Welcome doctor stern. I want to introduce again for the panel, in terms of the board of presentation. We will start on my left. Doctor butler who is the chief medical officer as pointed out from alaska. The Alaska Department of health and social services. Ms. Maureen deutsche who is a family representative of prescription Opioid Abuse Advisory Committee on behalf of south Dakota Department of health. Ms. Shelly pfohl chief executive offer for us center for safe sport. Mr. Scott sailor president of National Athletic Trainers Association. Doctor robert stern professor of neurology bus University School of medicine. And ms. Lauryn williams, a true sport ambassador and United States Antidoping Agency. If you would proceed in that order. Doctor butler and if you could, confine your oral remarks to his closely divided minutes as possible so all will have an opportunity to ask questions. Thank you all for being here. Doctor butler. Good morning chairman thune, Ranking Member nelson, members of the committee. It is an honor to be able to speak with you today. In my role as chief medical officer in alaska, i oversee state related prevention, preparedness and response activities. During the past three months in addition to the roles that senator sullivan has described ive also served as the Incident Commander governor bill walkers opioid response. In alaska, we responded to the Opioid Epidemic as much as we would to any other disaster. Whether an earthquake or tsunami. Using the incident command structure to coordinate communication across state government. This response is addressing a 3 to 4 fold increase in opioid Overdose Deaths have occurred in alaska in the past two decades. Which mirrors an increase that has occurred across the nation. The epidemic started somewhat silently. With gradually increases and deaths caused by prescription painkillers. As more and more of these drugs were prescribed. The problems had been compounded by availability of heroin and fentanyls. The majority of people to use heroin and fentanyl report that they first became addicted through use of prescription opioid pain relievers. I want to be clear. The Health Benefits of participation in sports and physical activity are extensive and well documented. They reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, certain types of cancer. Also better musculoskeletal strength, and improved sense of wellbeing and connectedness to community. The youth that participate in sports historically have been shown to be less likely to use illicit drugs. Unfortunately athletes have not been immune to the devastating effects of the Opioid Epidemic. Too often, sports related injuries managed with opioid pain relievers have been the beginning of a path to addiction. One coach expressed her frustration to me by describing that she had seen too many times and injury leading to a prescription for pills, leading to additional prescriptions for pills, leading to use of a friends pills, leading to use of any pills that can be obtained by any means. And unfortunately sometimes leading to use of heroin, and Overdose Deaths. Highprofile stories of professional athletes who began using prescription opioids for injury and then struggled with addiction or died of overdose may grab headlines. But we need to recognize that the problem is occurring in all levels of competition. One adult Recreational Softball League in alaska with roughly 750 participants has had five players die of opioid overdose. An epidemiological set study of High School Students in michigan found the boy that participate in organized sports are more likely to be prescribed opioid painkillers than those who did not. As a result, participation in organized work actually increase the risk of subsequent leg misuse. With over 4 million youth sports and recreation associated injuries occurring each year in the us, there is a reason for concern. So what can be done . There are no easy answers and no magic bullets. We need to be clear about that. But i would like to highlight three areas of opportunity. First we can promote evidencebased Pain Management strategies and more rational use of opioid pain relievers. Opioids can be useful in the management of acute pain and many people who receive these medications use them without problem. However, opioids should not be the first line of treatment following in any sports injury. These medications are used best in their prescribed at the lowest effective dose and for the shortest period possible. Generally for less than 3 to 7 days. Larger first time prescriptions have specifically been associated with higher risk of longterm use and thus, greater risk of dependency and addiction. A school nurse recently told me about a student who came back to school after arthroscopic surgery for an athletic injury. In line with school policy, he checked in with her and turned his prescription medicines in. She was shocked to find his bottle of 120 oxycodone containing pills. Special care needs to be taken when prescribing these medications to teenagers. Adolescents is a particularly high risk. Even as prescribed by Healthcare Provider is led to increased likelihood of subsequent misuse. Second, we can provide more information on the risks of opioid pain relievers for both Healthcare Providers and the public. Including coaches and trainers. In talking with teens i frequently had a sentiment that if relievers are really dangerous then why do doctors prescribe them . In talking to people in recovery i frequently hear, no one told me. If i had any idea how dangerous these drugs work. I never would have taken them. We can do a better job not only describing the risk of opioids but also providing information on what can be done in our communities